


New Start

by DocScout



Category: Rizzoli & Isles
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2019-10-24 16:27:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 94,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17707700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DocScout/pseuds/DocScout
Summary: Slightly AU Rizzles. Experienced homicide detective, Jane Rizzoli, is making a new start at Boston PD, the same time that they gain a new medical examiner.





	1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Swearing, sex, violence ahead. Mentions of suicide, rape, violent deaths, and the rest of what goes with homicide cases.

\---

First thing on Monday morning, Barry Frost watched as their latest BPD recruit made her way into the bullpen with Lieutenant Sean Cavanaugh. He and his teammate, Vince Korsak, exchanged surprised glances and looked back at the tall, curly haired woman standing slightly behind their shorter, balding lieutenant.

The brunette was wearing an expensive suit and shirt combo, but she didn't exude the stuffiness that her designer clothing may have dictated.

"Ok, listen up everyone!" The several detectives that were in the room turned around to look at their boss. "This is Detective Jane Rizzoli. She comes to us from the San Francisco Police Department with over twenty years of experience under her belt and we're lucky to be gaining her in Homicide. Please make her feel welcome and try not to be asses!" Cavanaugh shouted as he let his speech fizzle out quickly.

A few of the other detectives glanced over at her appreciatively, the rest went back to their work, unfazed.

Sean addressed Korsak and Frost next. "You two. Make sure Jane gets a desk. Frost, Jane is gonna be your new partner once you warm up to each other." He didn't wait for a response. He simply nodded at Jane and went back to his office.

Frost stood up first, smiling warmly, and held out his hand. "Barry Frost. Nice to meet you."

Jane received the African American's hand and smiled back. "Yeah, you too."

Korsak greeted her next and the pair showed Jane to a spare desk across from Frost.

They both watched as she took her grey blazer off and hung it on the back of her chair and sat down. Neither of the men missed the ring on Jane's left hand.

"Hey Frost, can we go over current cases when you're free?" Jane was eager to get into some work. She rubbed at the scars on her palms out of habit and waited for a response.

"Sure." He picked up a folder and gently tossed it across to her.

She glanced down at the folder and opened it to read over the recent case details.

"So, uh, we have a new Medical Examiner starting next week. Until then, we have Dr Pike." Korsak informed her with a groan as he slid closer on his chair, wanting to fill Jane in on their recent cases too and get some insight into her background. If they were going to work together, they had to know each other. Knowing each other was imperative to trusting each other, which was the most vital element to their job.

Frost and Korsak were already on their way to that but they had no idea about Jane. They hadn't even known they were getting a new homicide detective until two days ago and they weren't allowed to access most of her file.

"Ok." Jane answered with a raised eyebrow, not really understanding what they were trying to communicate to her.

Frost scoffed and leaned over to whisper something to her. "He's fucking useless."

Jane's eyes widened at the brutal honesty. "Seriously?"

"Hate to say it but he really is." Korsak confirmed. "He doesn't know a gunshot wound from his own asshole." All three of them laughed at the comparison.

"I really hope the new ME is better than him." Korsak groaned. "I heard it's a woman!" He stated as though this was something shocking then realised his faux pas. "Uh, no offence, Jane."

"None taken. I'm sure the department has done their research." Jane offered neutrally.

"I'm sure they have." Frost exclaimed sarcastically and rolled his eyes. "Anyway, can't be worse than Pike." He claimed and pointed at the file Jane had opened. "This one was a doozy…" Frost launched into a detailed account of their most recently closed case.

\---

Jane's first few days went by easily. She watched Korsak and Frost, how they interacted and spoke about cases, and the rest of the Homicide detectives. She decided she didn't particularly like Darren Crowe or his partner, Steven Knight. They made crude jokes constantly and didn't seem very focussed on their jobs.

By Thursday morning, Jane felt that she had bonded well with Korsak and Frost so far and had a grasp on the last few months of cases and the couple of currently open ones that they had. Those few that still remained were at the mercy of evidence, which they had little of so far.

Around noon Korsak stood and rubbed his slightly protruding belly. "I think it's time for lunch. I'm starvin'"

Frost grinned at the older man and stood up too. "Comin' Jane?" The young man invited her and put his jacket on.

"Sure." Jane replied, appreciative of the offer. It was a sign of acceptance. She was surprised it had only taken them four days to ask. She left her blazer on the back of her chair, knowing she wouldn't need it in the warm June weather. After locking her desk drawers, she looked up and noticed the amused grins on the detectives faces. She smirked at them. "I don't want to find anything mouldy and smelly in there next week." The brunette joked and placed her key in her pocket.

"Smart move." Frost affirmed and followed Korsak out of the bullpen, Jane right behind them.

\---

"Tell us about yourself, Rizzoli." Korsak prompted as he sipped his Coca Cola and dug into the greasy fries in front of him.

The trio sat in a booth of a well frequented police bar called The Dirty Robber. Jane decided, after taking one bite of her burger, that it was a new favourite of hers.

The brunette wiped her chin with her napkin and responded to him. "What do ya wanna know?" She asked back, waiting for detailed questions. She hated this and wanted to get it over with.

"Where'd you grow up?" Frost started with the subject that would help them all.

"I was actually born and raised in South Boston." She chuckled at their astounded looks.

"Yeah? Me too." Korsak added eagerly.

"Not me. I grew up all over. My dad was in the Navy." Frost shared as he took a sip of his drink. "When did you move, Jane?"

"As soon as I graduated from the academy. I turned twenty, got an offer at NYPD, and moved there the next week." She stated happily. Best decision I ever made. Jane thought as she twisted the band around her finger for a second before picking her burger up again.

"Ah, a rookie for the NYPD. Musta been tough?" Korsak queried as he ate his lunch.

"Yep started as a rookie in New York. It was tough but we had a great team… Did nine years there and then moved to Chicago. Chicago was rough and I only lasted a couple of years." Jane shook her head at the memories. "Anyway, I moved to San Francisco after that and been there since. My last ten and a half years were great but it was time to move back to Boston."

"Time to move back?" Korsak questioned, wanting her to elaborate.

Jane rubbed at her hands nervously. "Uh yeah. My Ma and brother live here. My other brother is moving back in a week. He's an officer too." She decided to share a little more about why her family had made the move across the country. "I uh had a rough case a few years ago and the psychopath became fixated on me. My last run in with him was four months ago." She lifted her hands to show her scars and then pointed to the neat scar on her neck and watched the boys wince. "He's dead now… I've been on leave since. Decided that a new start was in order."

That was the most condensed version of the story she could get away with for now. There would plenty of time to elaborate.

"Damn!" Frost reacted and then bit into his burger, not knowing what else to say.

"Seems like you're doin' ok now though?" Korsak questioned, concerned about his new workmate.

"Yeah, yeah! Of course. I passed my psych evaluation and got rectified before I started here. I'm good to go, boys!" Jane ate some more of her lunch and listened to the guys tell their work history. They offered it freely after Jane had been so open about hers.

"After work on Fridays we usually come here for drinks if you're interested?" Frost extended the invitation to the new detective, wanting more time to get to know her.

"Sounds good." Jane replied and they all stood to leave.

\---

After an easy first week at BPD, Jane looked down at her watch and was surprised to see that it was 6:30pm. Most of the bullpen was empty and Jane looked across her desk when Frost stood and stretched. "I'm so ready for a beer." He pulled his jacket on again and called out to Korsak, who was absorbed in his work. "C'mon, let's go!" He said enthusiastically.

Once they were settled into the same booth as yesterday, Jane got to see more of who her new workmates were. They were pretty easy going guys but they were even more relaxed now after a few beers.

They had been pretty good about not pumping her for information, she knew how hard that was considering they were detectives. Jane had wanted to ask them more but held back too.

It seemed like her time was up and the interrogation was about to begin.

"You're married, huh?" Korsak pointed at the simple white gold band on Jane's finger. He and Barry had been dying to find out more about it all week.

The grin that crossed Jane's face, transformed her entire look.

The boys were a little shocked at how soft she appeared.

A warm smile formed as the brunette thought about who was currently on the other side of the country, finishing up the moving of their entire house. "I sure am." She admitted and took another sip of her beer, not giving any more information than that.

"Lucky fella!" Frost chimed in and laughed at Jane's raised eyebrow. "You're alright, Rizzoli!" He slapped her on the back and grinned at her. "How long you been married?"

"Uh, nineteen years."

"Holy crap!" Frost almost spat his beer. "How old are you? I mean, I know you got twenty somethin' years of experience on the force but uh… nineteen years married! Damn! Well done." He shook his head and took a long drink.

Jane laughed at his reaction. "I'm forty one, almost forty two."

Korsak whistled. "You got married young like me. I remember when I was forty one! I'd already been divorced twice and had two kids… You got kids?" The older man asked, genuinely interested in Jane's life.

"Yeah, we have two girls." The brunette felt the slight ache in her chest at the thought of her little family. She missed them immensely and couldn't wait for them to arrive in Boston. Jane cautiously nursed her third beer. She would become more loose lipped after three in such a short period of time and she needed to drive home.

"Really?! I wasn't expecting that." Frost exclaimed. "How old?"

Growing increasingly uncomfortable at their personal questions, Jane answered succinctly. "Seventeen and fifteen." She watched Frost's amazed face as he registered their ages.

"Oh man, those teenage years are rough. I feel for ya, Rizzoli." Korsak joked and then eased off on the family questions.

Jane chuckled but ducked her head to try and avoid revealing more information.

Both of the men picked up on her reluctance to answer and pulled back. She wasn't a suspect and they were off the clock. They needed to let the woman relax and enjoy her evening with them.

"I'm seein' someone." Frost provided easily. "She's damn fine! Been together for nine months now. Gotta be a record! Not sure if I could ever make nineteen fuckin' years!" Korsak laughed at Frost's rant. He had been hearing about this woman for a long time but had never met her. He was starting to think she might be made up.

"Nice." Jane commented and listened to Korsak add his own life story to the mix as she finished her beer.

Once there was a break in the conversation, Jane stood up and threw some money on the table.

"Aww, you goin' already?!" Frost asked, a little upset that Jane was leaving them after only a couple of hours of hanging out.

"Sorry guys. Thanks for the invitation. I'll see you both on Monday." Jane patted Frost on the shoulder as he and Korsak said goodnight.

Barry shook his head and gave a short laugh as they watched the tall woman leave. Korsak gave him a curious look at the random outburst.

"Sorry, I was just thinkin'… I'm not trying to judge or anything but she just doesn't strike me as the type who would be happily married for nineteen years with a couple of teenage girls!"

Korsak laughed with him. "I totally get that. I can't see it either but, hey, she seems really happy."

"Yeah, she does." Frost agreed.

Both men noted that Jane avoided talking about her family almost like avoiding some sort of infectious disease. They figured they would find out why soon enough.

\---

Jane flopped backwards onto the hotel bed and held her cell phone to her ear, waiting for the other end to answer. The hotel room had been her residence for the last nine days since she had arrived in Boston.

"Jane." The sweet voice whispered into the phone.

"Hey baby." The detective's husky voice greeted with a huge grin on her face. "Are you at the hotel already?"

"Yes. We're all packed and ready to go. How was your first week?"

"Very slow but it's goin' well. The guys I'm workin' with are great. Nosy but they're detectives so I expected that. They're a bit worried about the new ME starting next week though!" Jane laughed at the recollection of their conversation yesterday.

"Why would they be worried?"

"They haven't had a great experience with past Medical Examiners. The current ME is an idiot." Jane stated, able to agree with their assessment after reading Dr Pike's reports and meeting the odd man. "I'm not worried though." The tall woman changed her tone to something warmer, more comforting.

"I should hope not!"

Jane laughed at the indignant tone. "Of course not. I know how thorough and talented you are at your job, Dr Isles." The detective purred. "Besides, they wouldn't have hired you as the Chief ME of the whole state if you weren't." Jane seriously commented. Her wife was the best at what she did and had been sought out by the governor himself for the position.

"Thanks sweetheart." Maura gushed at her wife's words and bit back a few tears. She missed Jane and couldn't wait to see her in less than twenty four hours. "I miss you."

"Miss you too, beautiful. How are my babies?" Jane asked about their daughters. No matter how old they got, they would always be her babies.

"They're great. They miss you though."

"God, I miss them too. I didn't think it would be so hard being only a week. Talking with you guys hasn't been enough." Jane claimed tearily.

"We haven't been apart for four months, my love. It's normal for us to feel some separation anxiety." The honey blonde doctor smiled into the phone.

"I guess so. How's Bass?"

Maura grinned at the question. Her wife pretended that she hated the creature that had been around since before they were a couple but she really did have a soft spot for the doctor's pet.

"He's hopefully being sedated right now for his big trip."

"Ha, why do they need to put him to sleep? In case he tries to run?" Jane joked, not expecting an answer but changed the topic before she got a full scientific explanation about why Bass had to be sedated to travel across the country. "What are the girls doin' right now?"

"Francesca's reading and Alexis is watching a movie before dinner arrives." Maura poked her head outside of the bedroom door to see their two girls happily relaxing on the hotel room's lounge. "Do you want to talk to them?"

"Yeah."

Jane heard Maura calling out softly to their children. "Francesca, Alexis, your Mama is on the phone!"

The detective chuckled at the squeals of excitement she heard and then laughed harder at the squabbling that ensued in the determining of who would speak to her first.

Maura intervened before it got out of hand. "Really girls?" She asked like a true Rizzoli, hands on her hips. "You can both talk." The doctor reached for the cell phone and put it on speaker mode.

"Hey Franky! Hi Lexi!" Jane greeted her daughters, her grin almost splitting her face.

Both girls greeted her back with excitement. Despite both being carried by Maura and utilising a donor, they were Rizzoli's through and through; energetic, loud, passionate.

Jane chatted to them both for a little while then softened her voice again when her wife picked the phone back up to talk.

"Did you eat dinner?"

"Um, no." Jane mumbled into the phone.

"Jane!" Maura whined at her wife.

"Baby, I'm useless without you. Thank god you get here tomorrow!" They both shared a laugh and Maura looked up at the door when a knock sounded.

"Darling, I need to go. Our dinner has just arrived. I'll see you around 2pm, your time… Call your mother! She'll feed you." The doctor walked over to open the door.

"Uh maybe… I can't wait to see you three. Let me know when you board your flight."

"Ok, honey. I love you."

"Love you too, Maura." Jane ended the call and smiled at the empty room. She would get to see her family tomorrow.

\---

Jane parked her car and practically ran to the arrivals terminal. She shoved her hands in the pockets of her black jeans and watched the people slowly trickle out and greet their loved ones.

The detective saw the honey blonde hair of her wife and then the two darker heads as her three loves rounded the corner.

Maura was dressed casually in a light summer dress and heels. Her daughters' definition of casual was a little closer to Jane's. Both wore jeans and a t-shirt that hid their mostly developed bodies very well. Jane couldn't help but be happy that neither had the same sex-appeal that their mother exuded… At least not yet.

Both young women were naturally beautiful and had similar features to Maura but they also resembled Jane greatly. Both had darker hair but not quite as dark as Jane's. They were tall, had flatter chests like Jane had at their age, and were more athletic in appearance. Neither seemed interested in boys much at all. Something both women had found relieving, hearing about how stressful teenage relationships could be for families.

Franky had recently started to get a little more feminine in her clothing choices but that was generally reserved for special outings and not daily life.

The detective pushed off the wall she was leaning on with a massive smile fixed to her face and moved to embrace two joyful bundles of energy in her long arms.

After Jane had been squeezed tightly and her face was thoroughly covered in kisses by her daughters she spotted Maura smiling at her and felt her heart soar as she raked her eyes over her stunning wife. "Hey gorgeous." She stepped close and placed her hands on the small waist.

Maura gave her a full dimpled grin and reached her hands to either side of Jane's face, leaning in to claim the taller woman's lips.

"Mmmm." Maura almost moaned as Jane deepened their kiss and wrapped her arms around the taller woman's neck, pressing their bodies tightly together. Jane's hands automatically drifted down to the firm backside and their daughters, used to the display, stood there waiting.

Several kisses later, Franky and Lexi became impatient. Their parents seemed to forget they were in the middle of an airport.

"Seriously Ma, Mom! You can do that later." Franky complained, pushing her thick rimmed, stylish glasses up on her nose and folding her arms.

"Yeah, when we're not around!" Lexi chimed in and the two of them laughed together as if they had some kind of secret joke.

"Ok, fine!" Jane exclaimed and reluctantly let go of the smaller woman. "I see they're still running the show?" Jane smirked and took charge of the luggage trolley and the doctor hooked her arm around Jane's as they walked out of the airport.

"Francesca is certainly your daughter." Maura declared affectionately as they reached the car. Franky had hold of her younger sister's hand, bossing her around, despite there only being a couple of inches in height difference.

"Yep!" Jane claimed proudly and placed the luggage into the trunk of her brand new Audi Q5. She opened the door for Maura and then moved around to her side of the car and opened the door for Alexis. She beamed as she got a kiss on the cheek from both women as a thank you.

Maura got into the front passenger side and Francesca got in behind her, whining about needing equal treatment to her sister.

"You know to sit on your Mama's side if you want the royal treatment." The doctor reminded her daughter.

"Not true. You get it all of the time, Mom!" Franky accused lightheartedly. It was something that she admired most about her parents, the constant love and care they showed one another.

"That's because your mother is a queen!" Jane declared as she got into the driver's seat and started the car. She leaned over and kissed her wife once more before checking the rearview mirror, and pulled out into the traffic, heading to their hotel room.

Maura reached across the middle console of the car to caress Jane's thigh. "Have you called your mother yet?" She smirked at the guilty look that crossed her wife's face and slapped her leg. "Jane Clementine Rizzoli-Isles!"

"Maaaura! Not the middle name."

"Why haven't you called her?" Her wife persisted and she heard both her daughters chuckling.

"Yeah Ma! We wanna see Nonna!"

"I dunno, babe. I just didn't want her to smother me."

"She loves you, honey." Maura declared and gave her wife an affectionate smile.

"I know… We can call her tonight, deal?"

"Deal."

\---

Once they had settled into their hotel suite, the girls made themselves scarce as their parents locked themselves in the main bedroom.

Jane showered and walked back into the room where her wife was currently undressing. Arousal shot straight up her spine and she walked purposefully up behind Maura, grasping her hips and nuzzling her face into the side of a smooth neck.

"I missed you." Jane whispered as her hands moved around to the front of the doctor's body and she ran her hands over black satin and lace. Maura's hand reflexively stretched up to grasp the back of her wife's neck and the other hand reached back to run along a jean covered thigh.

"I missed you too." The doctor breathed out and turned her body to wrap her arms around her wife's neck.

The couple made out as hands explored and clothing was stripped off.

"Ten days without touching you is ridiculous." Jane claimed as she pushed Maura gently back on the bed, laying herself on top. They both groaned at the sensation of their naked bodies pressed together.

Jane didn't waste any time and ran her long fingers against the length of Maura's already slick opening.

"Ohh god. I agree." Maura breathed against the brunette's lips and spread her legs wider to accommodate the touch.

"Sorry baby, I'm not gonna last long." Jane panted, as she slid two fingers inside of her wife and began a well-known rhythm.

"Mmm, me either." The honey blonde moaned as the detective hit a particularly sensitive spot. Maura let go of the strong shoulders and reached down to touch Jane where she needed her most.

They pushed and pulled, riding each other's fingers as they reacquainted themselves as quietly and quickly as possible before either of their teenage daughters figured out what they were up to and freaked out… again.

\---

Hopefully none of you thought I would pair Jane with a man! That's just ludicrous.

Let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Warning: A bit of sexual harassment ahead. Don't worry, it will be dealt with eventually...

\---

"Good morning, Jane." Vince greeted warmly.

Jane smiled at him with an extra bounce in her step. "Mornin' Vince. Morning Frost." She nodded at the young man who was seated at his desk across from her.

"What has you so happy?" He asked but couldn't help smiling along with her.

"My family arrived on Saturday. It was a great weekend." She replied and sat down, pulling out a case file and going over her notes from the previous week.

The Rizzoli-Isles clan had enjoyed the rest of their Saturday together and a chat with Jane's excited mother. Their girls were as equally as excited and couldn't wait to see their Nonna the following day.

They spent a lazy Sunday morning together in their hotel room before checking out and meeting the two truckloads of their household items and Bass at their new home in Beacon Hill. Maura had organised professional movers to set up their place. While her wife managed that, Jane and Angela got to take the girls to do some sightseeing all afternoon. It had been a great day. Jane had picked up pizza for their dinner and arrived back to a completely set up home except for a the random boxes of decorations and other personal stuff that they needed to unpack themselves.

"I'm happy that your family has arrived, Jane. I'm lookin' forward to meeting them." Vince exclaimed and watched the brunette nod uncomfortably, getting straight into her work. He may have only known her for just over a week but he knew Jane was a woman of integrity with a strong work ethic. He admired that.

"The Johnson case was ruled a suicide by Pike, right?" Frost asked.

Jane smiled at the young man and nodded. She had a glimpse of how green around the gills Frost was when they were called out to a suspicious death last Thursday night. The poor guy had puked his guts out at the sight of the older man who had blown his brains out all over a nice mahogany desk. She was almost disappointed it was ruled a suicide, hoping to get her first case since arriving, but she would have to wait.

"Ok. I'm gonna finish the report for it and then we can open the Theobald case back up and see if the fibres that Pike found can help at all." Before he could ask if that sounded ok to Jane, Lieutenant Cavanaugh walked into the bullpen, the sound of a woman's high heels clicked gently behind him.

"Detectives!" He announced, gaining everyone's attention. "I'm here to welcome our new Medical Examiner. This is Dr Maura Isles." Cavanaugh stepped to the side to reveal a gorgeous petite honey blonde, dressed impeccably in a high waisted grey skirt, emerald silk shirt, and black four inch high heels.

After a few moments of staring, Jane looked around holding in a smirk as she noticed most of the men were fixated on the beautiful doctor. She looked back at her wife and smiled shyly when they made eye contact. It was going to be the first time they would be working together in thirteen years and she was beyond excited.

"Dr Isles is also the new Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Make sure you pay her the respect she deserves!" Sean ordered as a warning to his staff. He turned to Maura and addressed her quietly as the rest of the bullpen murmured their opinions on the new ME. The pair walked back down the hallway and out of sight.

"Whoa, damn!" Frost let out a low whistle with a grin on his face. He looked across at Jane and noticed her eyebrow raised in question. "Uh, sorry… A guy thing. Gonna be hard to concentrate getting autopsy results from now on!" A few other male detectives around them chuckled in agreement.

"I don't even care if she's worse that Pike, that woman is fuckin' hot!" Darren Crowe yelled out and most of the males in the room nodded at the bald detective.

Jane felt her jaw clench. She wondered if this what her wife had to put up with previously. All of the sexist jokes and borderline sexual harassment?

"Did you check that ass?" Another detective asked, making a crude gesture with his hands.

"And those legs! She's gotta be a runner." Knight claimed and the bullpen became a flurry of inappropriate comments.

Unable to reveal the nature of their relationship yet or feeling like she could defend her wife, Jane stood up and told Korsak and Frost she was going to get a coffee. She needed to calm herself before she hit someone.

Frost shook his head in amusement as he watched his new partner leave.

"What?" Korsak asked, interested in the younger man's thoughts.

Frost looked over to the older man with a guilty look. "We should probably be careful about that kind of joking around her. We haven't had a female detective in homicide before and it could get messy… We were a bit inappropriate." He claimed, feeling bad about being a part of causing the brunette to leave.

Most of the other detectives around him grumbled but agreed, except Crowe, of course. "Aww Frost, you got a soft spot for Rizzoli?! How sweet. If you ask me, bitch needs to get laid. She's too intense!" He mocked and his partner was the only one who laughed with him.

"Can it, Crowe." Korsak spoke firmly and looked over to Frost who was getting angry very quickly.

After ten minutes Jane still hadn't returned, they all became increasingly worried that she was reporting them all.

Frost looked up at Korsak. "I'm gonna go and find her." He said and got up. Korsak joined him and they made their way down to the cafe. She wasn't there. They both frowned and ordered a coffee, deciding to take a break anyway. They'd find Jane when they were done.

\---

"Hey Sean." Jane greeted her boss less formally in the privacy of his office.

"Hey Jane." He gave a small smile and motioned for her to have a seat. "What's up?"

The tall woman sat down and slouched in the chair. She sighed heavily. "How long do you think Maura and I have to hide our relationship?"

He raised both eyebrows at this and looked down at his watch. "Jesus Jane, it's been fifteen minutes since she arrived!"

"I know but the guys are already bein' assholes!" The detective whined at him.

"Look, I know they can be jerks but you gotta ignore it if you and your wife are gonna be able to work together." He leaned back and smiled at her. "You are your mother's daughter."

Jane groaned at this. "What now?!"

"Angela was complaining to me just this morning about how unfair it was that you two had to hide your marriage from everyone."

"Oh she did, did she?" Jane laughed at this. Her mother was fierce and hated injustice almost as much as she did. The Italian woman hadn't said anything about it to her earlier that morning when she picked up her grandchildren for a day of sightseeing and spoiling.

Jane remembered barely being acknowledged with the distraction of the girls. Angela Rizzoli loved her kids more than almost anything but it was a drop in the bucket compared to how she felt about her grandbabies. "She doesn't know the details of what happened in San Francisco, Sean. I get why we have to hide it for now, it's just tough."

"Yeah. It's only for about a month, Jane. Trust me, it will benefit you. You need to establish your roles within the department and gain the respect of your colleagues individually. We agreed that it was best for you both after Hoyt."

Jane tried not to flinch at the name.

"The media around the case should ease off soon. No one knows who you are on the East Coast. Just try and keep your head down for a bit longer." Cavanaugh suggested.

"Yeah, alright." She replied dejectedly. She stood up and went to open the door but stopped as she placed her hand on the handle. "Sean, if anyone says anything about my wife—"

"You'll tear 'em a new one… I get it, Jane but she can handle a bit of crap from the guys. Maura's a tough lady. She's gotta be, she's been married to you for years!" He laughed and Jane rolled her eyes and let herself out.

Frost just happened to be walking back to the bullpen when he saw her come out of their lieutenant's office. "Uh, hey Jane."

"Hey Frost."

"Sorry about those comments before. I'm sure you'll have Dr Isles' back being another female and all but uh, the guys… They don't mean anything by the comments. Except maybe Crowe. He's an ass."

"It's all good. I'm not that upset." She informed him with a smile.

He looked at her in disbelief. "You sure?" He nodded in the direction of Cavanaugh's door.

Jane looked back and understood what he thought she had been doing. "Yeah, I had to talk to the lieu about something else."

"Oh ok. Cool. Well, wanna grab lunch later?" He asked, hoping she would say yes.

"Yeah, sure… I'm gonna go and get that coffee now." Jane moved to head in the direction of where Frost had just come from.

\---

A soft knock sounded on Maura's office door. "Come in." The doctor called without looking up from her paperwork.

"Hey there." Jane said as she stepped into the spacious office bearing two coffees. The brunette smiled at the quirky set up. Her wife had eclectic taste. She placed their drinks down on the coffee table and looked at how at ease Maura seemed behind her desk.

"Hi darling." Maura greeted Jane with a wide grin.

The detective raised an eyebrow at this. "Probably shouldn't use pet names at work, babe." Jane stated as she used one herself and smirked.

"You're right. Probably not very professional." The ME stood up and walked over to the brunette, raking her eyes over Jane's body and back up to her face.

"Uh, don't um, don't look—" She stepped back slightly even though the doctor was still a few feet away from her. "Don't look at me like that!" Jane begged with wide eyes.

"Like what?" Maura asked innocently.

"Like you wanna tear my clothes off!" Jane exclaimed quietly, relaxing when the blonde stopped her forward progress.

Maura smirked and moved closer to the taller woman, running her hand over the lapels of her blazer. "But you look incredibly sexy in your work suit."

"Maura Rizzoli-Isles!" Jane gasped, mocking an indignant tone of voice. "Unprofessional!" She accused and the couple broke out laughing.

Maura stepped away from her wife and sat in her new armchair. "What can I do for you, my love?"

"Maur, you gotta at least try!" Jane flopped down in the middle of the two seater couch across from the doctor.

The smaller woman gave a mischievous grin. "Fine. What can I do for you Detective?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Nothing actually. I just wanted to see your office and I brought you a coffee."

Maura glanced around with a look of pure joy. "Isn't it wonderful?!"

"Yeah babe. It looks great."

"It's so exciting to be working with you again, Jane." Maura enthused. Jane agreed wholeheartedly. This led to the couple reminiscing about when they had met at the NYPD twenty two years ago.

Maura had just completed her Biochemistry degree and had been accepted as a medical student at Harvard university. She worked as a lab assistant in the coroner's office at NYPD for the summer, knowing she wanted to return there for her pathology residency.

Jane had been a rookie beat cop for six months and had accidentally bumped into the impeccably dressed woman in the police cafe, spilling coffee all over the honey blonde's cream blouse but thankfully hadn't burned her. It was the start of a close friendship between the gruff brunette and the socially awkward doctor-to-be, that developed quickly into something more.

"I better get back upstairs." Jane stood and looked a little lost when she realised she couldn't kiss her wife goodbye.

"See you tonight, sweetheart." That was enough to prompt Jane to smile gently at Maura and head back up to the bullpen.

\---

The couple didn't interact at work much over Maura's first week because no homicide calls came in.

The brunette became increasingly relaxed around Frost and Korsak and went out with them again for a second time on Friday night for drinks.

Korsak had just finished telling them a story about one of his son's antics at university and it prompted Jane to think about Franky. Before she realised, she was sharing details with the guys that she hadn't intended to for another few weeks at least.

"I feel so old." Jane claimed. "My eldest, Franky, starts her last year in high school in just two months!" She groaned and took a long pull from her beer.

"Haha, then you'll have to worry about what she's up to when you're not around. Enjoy the last year of control you have over her." Korsak joked.

Jane laughed but shook her head. "Nah, whatever she does, she'll be fine. She's such a good kid." The brunette left off the part where she would normally say that Franky was her mother's daughter, meaning Maura. Their eldest was a rule abider and all round nerd.

"Where are you sending them?" Frost asked, interested in what kind of school Jane's girls would be enrolled at.

"Oh, umm. I think it's called uh, Boston University Academy, or somethin' like that." Jane mumbled into her drink.

"Shit! That's an expensive school, Jane. I didn't know detectives made so much!" Korsak stated, curious as to what Jane's spouse did for work to allow them to pay for such a pricey school.

"Is it?" Jane asked, having no idea. Maura had looked after all of that for them.

"Uh yeah. About $45,000 a year, per student." Korsak informed her and watched as Jane almost dropped her bottle. He realised she had no idea about the cost.

"Fuck." The brunette exclaimed and shook her head in disbelief. "My w- Jesus. Well, I didn't organise the schooling. Their grandparents are probably paying for it." She deflected from saying any more on the subject.

Frost laughed and slapped her on the back. "I can't believe you had no idea!"

"It's been a while since I've lived in this city. Private schools in San Francisco are pretty expensive but not that much! How do you know anyway, Korsak?" Jane asked.

"Oh, my ex wife, Melody, put our son Josh in there last year. I couldn't afford to help at all. Same deal with the grandparents. Melody's family are loaded." He told them and raised his beer. "To wealthy grandparents."

"Yep!" Jane tapped the neck of her bottle to his and they all took a drink. She glanced at her watch and realised it was late. "Ok fellas. I gotta go." She waved off their protests. "It's 9pm."

"Ok. Hey, we should invite the doc next week!" Korsak suggested as Jane threw some money down on the table.

"Oh yeah! I would looove that." Frost declared happily. They were well aware of his crush on the new ME.

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Jane questioned with some judgement in her tone.

"Yep but it can't hurt to look! I mean, the doc's probably only got a few years on me but I don't date older women. However, damn, she's really, really sexy…"

Jane rolled her eyes at him. "How old are you?" She asked, realising she had no idea.

"Thirty one." He frowned at Jane's smirk. "What?" He asked defensively.

"I'd say she's got about ten years on you!" Jane declared and watched his eyes widen in disbelief.

"No way!"

"Oh yeah! Gotta be with her amount of experience." Korsak agreed. "But I have to admit, she looks great for whatever age she is." He commented more appropriately and Jane was grateful.

"Well, she's still hot… Even with that ice cold front she's got going." He referred to her professional demeanour at work.

"She's not cold." Jane defended. Her wife did come across as aloof and clinical because of the nature of her work but she was anything but cold.

"I agree, Jane. I like the doc but I think she spends too much time around dead people. She can be a little unfriendly." Korsak confirmed and grew concerned at Jane's obvious upset. "Hey, we're not saying anything bad about her. Just making an observation, that's all."

"Yeah, most of the guys have named her 'Queen of the Dead'" Frost confessed with a laugh but stopped when he noticed Jane's unimpressed look.

"I think she's- really nice. Invite her Friday and you'll see." Jane stated and got up to leave. "Ok, I'm out. See ya Monday morning unless we get a homicide."

\---

Early Sunday morning, Jane's phone buzzed with an incoming call from dispatch. A second later, Maura's began ringing too.

Jane reluctantly unwrapped her body from the smaller one and answered. "Rizzoli." Her half asleep voice husked into the phone.

"This is Dr Isles." Maura answered professionally, sounding much more awake.

They had their first call to a crime scene together. This was going to be interesting.

"You take your car. I'll take mine." Jane instructed. Maura accepted that they would have to do this to avoid any questions and to maintain the secrecy of their relationship.

Jane threw on her rumpled suit that she had thrown over the armchair next to her side of the bed.

"Jane, Armani really shouldn't be treated in such a manner." The doctor declared indignantly. She couldn't believe she had forgotten to hang it up after she peeled it off the long, tanned body last night.

Actually, she could believe it. Jane had strutted into their room after a long day at work and Maura had forgotten everything but her name at the sight of the confident woman.

The detective smirked as she remembered why it hadn't been taken care of properly. "I promise I'll get it dry cleaned, baby." She put her jacket on and grabbed her phone. "I'm gonna go. Love you."

"Love you. See you soon." The couple kissed and Jane left the room.

Maura took slightly longer to get dressed and left a note for their still sleeping daughters, grateful that their teens were responsible enough to feed themselves and stay entertained on their own.

\---

Jane reached the scene first and yelled at the university security guard that was paying very little attention to other people's proximity of the body. "Hey!" She rushed over and Frost, who had arrived a moment after her, ran behind, following her lead. "Get away. Move!" Jane spread her long arms out wide and pushed back the few onlookers that had potentially contaminated their crime scene.

"Fuck, look at that." Frost gagged slightly pointed to the blood that now had multiple footprints through it.

Korsak turned up and directed a few uniformed officers to take over from Jane and Barry in creating a perimeter for them.

Pulling on latex gloves, Jane squatted down next to the young woman's body. "Damn. I think she's a student. Young, maybe twenty." She searched the young woman for ID.

"Jane, don't tamper with the body!" Maura rushed up to the detective, carrying her black medical bag.

The brunette looked up and pulled back at the sound of her wife's no nonsense voice. She knew how meticulous Maura was and stood up right away. "Sorry Maur."

Korsak and Frost exchanged interested glances. It was obvious the two women knew each other and not just from calling each other by their first name. They wondered if the two had become friends in the last week since the ME had started.

"She has her ID in the top pocket. Can you hand it to me when you're ready?" Jane asked the petite woman as she pulled her gloves on and hunched over the body with ease, skirt, heels, and all.

The doctor handed the student card to Jane and smiled gently, then went back to her examination of the evidence around the body.

"Danielle Davis." Jane read the card and handed it to the older detective. "Uh Korsak, take this. Maybe you can see if she lives on campus and secure her dorm?"

"Sure thing." The older detective agreed happily. It was nice to not have to lead an investigation for once and Jane seemed extremely competent.

Frost stayed away from the body as much as he could. It wasn't a terrible case but there was still a decent amount of blood under the young woman.

"What do ya think, ba— Dr Isles?" Jane looked around and breathed a sigh of relief that Frost hadn't noticed her almost slip up. "Uh, a .38?" She looked at the bullet wound in the back of the student's back.

Maura looked up at her wife affectionately and with some arousal. Commanding Jane was a sight to behold. "I think that I need to get this body back to the lab and I'll tell you more once I've done the autopsy." The doctor smirked at the groan she received.

Barry got a little closer as he heard the exchange. "So uh, doc? Can you just give as an idea of what you think happened here?"

"I'm sorry, Detective-" Maura trailed off, not knowing the young man's name.

"Frost." He informed her and they smiled at each other.

"I'm sorry, Detective Frost but I don't guess. I will perform the autopsy as soon as we get back to headquarters. You're welcome to observe." She internalised her grin when she noticed his face pale.

"Uh, no. I'm good. Jane can do the observing." He stood back and let the CSI techs finish their job and load the body into the coroner's van.

This was different for Frost. An ME that didn't assume she knew before gaining evidence. He hoped that she was as good as Cavanaugh claimed. They could use a few wins under their belt.

Frost watched as Maura walked away, admiring the toned legs and ass.

"Ahem." Jane cleared her throat and raised an eyebrow at him.

The African American man guiltily looked away from Jane. "Oh umm." He looked back as the doctor got into the charcoal coloured Mercedes. It suited her. He looked back at Jane's unimpressed stare. "Uh sorry, Jane…" She kept staring at him. "Oh c'mon! Can you blame me? She obviously works out!" He smiled when his partner rolled her eyes and chuckled. Jane shook her head at his mostly harmless behaviour. She really couldn't blame him. Maura's ass was flawless.

"Yeah, ok, Romeo. Let's find Korsak and go over what we know."

\---

The three detectives were searching Danielle's room for anything that would help them with their investigation when a young woman tried to burst in.

"Danielle! Dani?!" The short brunette cried out.

Jane went over to her immediately and held her back. "Hey, hey!" The young girl was a mess.

"Wh- where is she?"

"Who are you?" Jane asked tenderly. The young woman obviously knew the victim.

"I'm- Natalie. Dani's best friend… Is- is it true?"

"I'm so sorry, Natalie. Danielle was found murdered on campus just two hours ago." Jane caught the falling body as Natalie broke down sobbing. She rubbed her back for a moment before asking, "Do you know anyone who would do this to her?"

"N-no!"

"Shh, it's gonna be ok. Listen, Natalie. Go with officer Bryce, ok? He'll take you home." The young woman nodded in compliance and the officer wrapped an arm around the woman and escorted her away from the room.

"Found a phone, Jane." Frost held up the iPhone. "Everything's been wiped though."

"Damn."

"Her backpack is here too but no laptop. The charger is right there. Doesn't make sense." Frost shared with the trio.

"Ok, we'll have to work with what we got. Let's go guys." Jane instructed and they left for the BPD.

\---

Jane hung up her work phone. "That was Dr Isles. She's about to start the autopsy. You guys wanna come and observe?"

"Hell no!" Frost answered and Korsak laughed at him.

"I'll come, Janie." He slipped with the nickname and she quirked an eyebrow at him. "What?" He asked innocently. "It suits you!"

"Whatever, old man! Let's go." Jane got up and led the way out of the room.

"So, you know Dr Isles huh?" Korsak asked directly and knew he was right when Jane looked across at him sharply. They got to the elevator and pressed the down button. She didn't say a word until they stepped into the empty space and the doors closed.

"Uh, I guess. We've hung out a bit this week." Jane offered and sped up her gait once they got out of the elevator, hoping to avoid more questioning. While her wife couldn't lie because of hives, Jane could but was hopeless at it. She blamed growing up with a Catholic-Italian mother who could sniff out a lie from a mile away and make you feel like you'd suffocated a puppy when you told one.

"Hey." Jane greeted the honey blonde who had changed into scrubs, running shoes, and was wielding a scalpel with finesse. The sight of the instrument still made Jane slightly nervous.

Maura looked up and smiled at her wife, lowering the tool slightly and then noticed the older man who had been at the crime scene earlier. "Hi Jane. Hello Detective." She greeted Vince.

"Vince Korsak, this is Maura Isles." Jane introduced them.

"It's nice to meet you, Detective Korsak." The doctor gave him an easy going smile and he gave one back.

"You too, Dr Isles. So, let's see what we got?" He moved closer to the body to watch.

They watched Maura thoroughly examine the young woman's body and listened as she gave her professional account of the wound and trace evidence found on the victim. "Gunshot wound was from close range. Definitely a .38." She claimed as she pulled the bullet out and placed it in the metal tray. Maura continued to examine the body and found a hair on Danielle's leg.

Korsak got increasingly excited about the amount of evidence she had gained so easily. "A hair?!" He almost yelled. "That's the best piece of evidence we've had in forever!" He high-fived Jane and kept watching.

"I'll have the lab process this as quickly as possible." Maura lifted the small plastic evidence bag and placed the hair inside of it with her tweezers. The doctor looked closely at the young woman's legs. "I would look into whether Danielle played sports for BU."

"Yeah?" Jane asked, waiting on her wife's rationale.

"Her musculature indicates that she played something that required a lot of running and possibly kicking but, while her arm muscles are defined, her quadriceps are much larger for an even- bodied sport." Maura explained and Jane tried to put the pieces together.

"Like soccer?" Jane asked.

"That would fit." Maura confirmed.

"Pfft, pansy sport." Korsak commented and Jane agreed.

"Well, I would hate to know what you think about fencing and ballet." The doctor joked with them, giving her wife a knowing look, and kept working.

"They aren't sports!" Jane teased and Korsak agreed. He was surprised at how relaxed the ME seemed. It contradicted his initial impression of her. Jane had been right.

Maura rolled her eyes and continued to talk about the evidence on the victim's body.

Korsak watched as Jane and Maura figured out more about Danielle's murder by bouncing ideas and questions off each other. It seemed like Jane knew exactly what questions to ask the doctor to get the information they needed to further the case and Maura was just absolutely brilliant and seemed to know everything about everything.

The last piece of information they gathered was that Danielle had broken her ankle badly in the last year. "This type of injury is usually only seen in professional athletes and required surgery but she hasn't had any. I'll put my estimation of when it occurred into my report once I complete an X-ray of the area. All I can say conclusively is that if she did play professional sports, she hasn't for some time." Maura declared and began to sew the young woman back up.

"Ok, thanks doc." Korsak stated with the utmost gratitude.

"No problem." Maura gave him a warm smile.

"Uh, see ya."

"Bye Jane. I'll have that report completed before the end of the day."

"Hey guys, we got info on Danielle." Frost sat at his computer, accessing her university file. Korsak came up behind him to view the screen. "Confirms what the father said about her having a soccer scholarship." Jane and Korsak exchanged knowing looks. "But couldn't maintain it coz of an injury."

Jane added what the father had told them in his interview, "Daddy doesn't know about this obviously. So, how does a twenty year old manage to pay thousands of dollars in tuition?"

All three turned to the sound of heels clicking into the bullpen. Frost watched as Maura walked over to Jane's desk and perched on the edge. He also noticed Jane's eyes glance down at the bare legs and back up again. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"She was possibly working as a prostitute." Maura stated with confidence.

"What?!" Jane balked at the idea but knew her wife would have a evidence for such an accusation otherwise she wouldn't have said it. She tried to keep her eyes off the smooth, toned legs that were so close to her hand.

"Sorry it took a few days but the lab identified that the hair we found on Danielle's body was made from synthetic materials. We traced the particular combination of materials to a factory that makes toupees and wigs specifically for the sex industry. The only place they supply near Boston is in Quincy at a store called Amazing." Maura informed them and frowned slightly at the two men's stunned faces.

"Brilliant! Thanks Maura." Jane exclaimed. "Shall we go check Danielle's room again and see if we can find anything that confirms this? We can also visit the store and see if we can find out anything… Guys?" Jane frowned when they failed to move.

"If you need anything else from me, just call." Maura stood up and made her way out of the bullpen.

"Uh guys?" Jane questioned.

"Right, yeah… Ok, let's go." Korsak snapped out of his daze and grabbed his jacket.

"I can't believe we have all of that evidence! She's like a dream come true!" Frost exclaimed excitedly and stood up to put his jacket on.

Jane smiled proudly, wishing they knew just how brilliant her wife truly was.

\---

Thoughts?! Feelings?! Send me some love... :D


	3. Chapter 3

Picks up right after the last chapter.

Warning for those who don't enjoy it, explicit sex scene ahead... I was just thinking of a few fans that enjoy those scenes a lot ;)

\---

A long day later, the case for Danielle Davis suddenly came to a close.

After wading through a multitude of university students partying while dressed in tin foil, Jane and Frost discovered a bunch of sex toys, condoms, and the like in Danielle's locker.

As they came out of her room, they ran into Lucas Bilton, resident advisor, who was carrying a laptop that didn't look like it belonged to him.

He noticed their observations and dumped the computer, running. Jane caught him easily and cuffed him. It hadn't taken much to get a confession. He had been preying on girls that couldn't afford their tuition and began pimping them out a few years prior.

To top it off, the bullet was traced to one of the three guns that he owned and he was charged for the murder of Danielle Davis. The other charges would follow as other women would come forward to testify against him.

It had been a long but good week for the BPD homicide detectives and the ME.

\---

After the paperwork was completed for Danielle Davis' case and 7pm rolled around, Jane finally put her blazer on to leave.

"Wait Jane, don't leave. We need to go out for celebratory drinks." Frost declared and called out to Korsak. "Did you invite the doc?"

"Yep! She's in."

Jane had no idea her wife had agreed to post-work drinks. It made sense that they would invite her. She was the one responsible for a break in their case. The brunette pulled out her phone and saw the two text messages.

"Jane, you in?"

"Uh, sure. Gimme a minute." She turned her back to the guys to read her messages.

"Oh, do you have to check with the hubby about staying out late?" Korsak asked as he walked up closer to her.

Jane read her texts from Maura, both informing her of the evening's plans.

"Nah, I don't have to check if I can go for a beer." Jane slapped Korsak on the back and grabbed her wallet. "Let's go."

\---

The trio took up residence in their usual booth and nursed their first beers as they waited for the doctor to arrive.

Maura entered the Dirty Robber looking slightly out of place. She ignored the catcalls from a few guys and smiled brightly when she noticed Jane at a booth with Korsak and Frost, the men's backs to her.

"Hello detectives." The honey blonde greeted adorably and scooted in next to Jane. She placed her purse in between them to avoid any temptation to take her wife's hand or touch her in any way.

"Hey doc. What can I get you to drink?" Frost stood up and waited for Maura's answer.

Jane swallowed her smirk and listened intently for a response.

"Oh, well, I'm not sure what there is… I like most reds but nothing chalky. From a bottle please, not house wine!" Maura instructed.

"Sure thing." Frost went to the bar and ordered Maura's drink.

Korsak watched Jane and Maura intently, trying to figure out their dynamic. He knew they had become friends over the last week and a half since the ME had started Jane had confirmed this but they just seemed so familiar with one another.

"Thank you, Detective Frost." Maura gratefully accepted her drink and took a sip.

"Please, it's just Barry." The young man smiled at her as he sat down and drank from his beer again.

"Only if you call me Maura." The doctor offered easily.

"So Maura, what can you tell us about yourself?" Korsak asked the query the doctor had been dreading since she arrived. There was no way they could keep up their charade if she had to answer too many questions.

"Well, I was born in Boston but grew up in France… I have wanted to be a Medical Examiner since I was nine years old. I moved back to Boston to study at Harvard University after I graduated high school and have worked in multiple locations in the United States since then." Maura hoped that was enough to keep the happy for the moment.

"You married?" Barry asked, pointing at the white gold rings on her left hand, one sporting several diamonds surrounding a large emerald stone.

"Yes." That was all she answered and took a another sip of her drink.

"How long have you been together?" Korsak asked, picking up on her discomfort but wanting to try for a tiny bit more information.

"Almost twenty one years." The petite woman smiled and decided to change the subject. "And what about you both?"

Jane internalised another smirk at her wife's diversion. She was the queen of deflection because she couldn't lie. Maura's clever answer of how long she had been with her partner as opposed to answering the inferred question of how long she had been married, would deter the guys from figuring them out too soon. Jane had no doubt that they would but she would deal with that when it happened.

Korsak and Frost happily shared their stories, answering both women's questions until it was time for Maura to leave.

"I'm so sorry, I better get home. Thank you for the lovely evening everyone." The doctor pulled out a few bills and left them on the table. "See you tomorrow morning."

Korsak's curiosity was piqued when he noticed a faint neat line tainting the honey blonde's throat as she bent over to place the money on the table. The scar was familiar to him for some reason. He shook his head, putting it down to too many beers. "See ya doc." The older man called as she left.

Frost turned around and watched her leave, once again. He felt something hit him on the back of the head.

"Hey!" He turned back around and glared jokingly at Jane, who obviously threw the balled up napkin at him.

"Seriously?" Jane asked, slightly annoyed.

"Aww Jane, c'mon! Her legs and ass are amazing… She's married anyway." He defended his harmless looking.

"Yeah, so you should stop bein' a pervert." The brunette teased him and he laughed.

"Nah. There's no fun in that." He claimed, finishing off his beer. "I'm gettin' another drink. Korsak?"

"Yes please." The older man answered.

"I think I might head home too." Jane stood and put her jacket on. "See you guys tomorrow."

Korsak noted that the tall woman didn't pay any money towards their drinks but quickly realised that Dr Isles had left enough for all of them plus a tip.

\---

The rest of the week and halfway into the following week was quiet for homicide but not so quiet in the morgue. A five car pile up had killed four people and Maura was up to her elbows, literally, in work.

Jane knocked on the doctor's office and entered when Maura called out for her to come in.

"Good afternoon Dr Isles." Jane greeted cheerfully with a bit of mischief in her tone. The tall woman sat down on the ME's couch and waited for the blonde to look up from her work and acknowledge her.

"Sorry, darling. Just give me a moment." Maura requested without looking up.

The detective chuckled at the fact that her wife just knew it was her and also at the slip up of calling her 'darling'. She was lucky she didn't bring Frost or Korsak with her. Maura forgot a lot more than Jane thought she would. She figured after nineteen years of marriage, it was pretty hard to stop saying something that was so engrained in your everyday language.

The tall woman studied the doctor. She had her hair up in a stylish ponytail, her bangs parted. Jane recalled that the blonde was wearing a high waisted black skirt and black peep toe heels. The brunette raked her eyes over the short sleeved, tight, black and blue checkered silk top that was unbuttoned low enough to show a hint of her wife's glorious cleavage.

Jane got up and closed the door. The ME finally glanced up at the sound of the lock being engaged and the blinds being drawn closed.

"What are you doing?" Maura asked suspiciously, placing her pen down and crossing her toned arms. She raised her eyebrows in disbelief when she recognised the look in Jane's darkened eyes. "No Jane." She slid her chair back from her desk and stood up to put a stop to her detective's pursuit.

There was no stopping the brunette.

Jane got within an inch of her wife and wrapped her hands around the small waist and pressed herself against the doctor, claiming her lips.

Maura placed her hands flat against the detective's abdomen and tried to resist her advances but then Jane did that thing with her tongue that made her weak in the knees every time, and she caved. The ME wrapped her hands in dark curls and felt long fingers slide over her backside.

Jane pushed the papers from the smaller woman's desk without breaking their kiss and backed her wife up against it. Her hands reached down to the hem of the black skirt, pushing it up high on Maura's thighs, and stepped in between the toned legs that wrapped around her waist, heels digging into the tall woman's backside.

"Mmm, baby…" Maura moaned into the kiss. "This isn't a good ide…Ohh-" Jane ran her tongue across her bottom lip and then sucked her wife's tongue into into her mouth, effectively quieting her attempt to protest. Their kiss deepened as their tongues tangled and the brunette pressed their bodies tightly together.

The detective's hand slid up the inside of the doctor's thigh. She pushed the smaller woman's panties aside and before Maura knew it, her wife's fingers were inside of her, expertly moving in and out and building her up to the point of no return.

Jane disconnected their lips to kiss her way down the delicate neck and sucked on her wife's pulse point, making the smaller woman thrust her hips forward and moan like she had forgotten where she was. She had. "Shhh baby." The brunette reminded as she smiled into the skin just below the blonde's ear then placed open mouthed kisses around the area, still pumping her fingers into her wife's soaked center. She reverently kissed the scar on Maura's throat and moved back up to suck on an earlobe.

"Ohh, oh Jane. Oh god." The doctor whimpered and gripped Jane's hair tightly, trying to stay quiet as she breathed more erratically and felt like she was going to lose her mind if she didn't come soon.

Knowing her wife was ready, Jane moved her thumb to stroke the sensitive side of Maura's clit. She whispered against the open mouth. "Come for me, baby." The detective's lips came back up to swallow the ME's moans as she came. The brunette kept kissing the soft lips as Maura's breathing evened out again.

"Oh god." The doctor's head dropped forward onto a strong shoulder. "That- that was sooo not professional."

"I thought after twenty one years I would be very professional." Jane joked and kissed the blonde head.

Maura gave a short laugh then groaned as her wife removed her fingers and moved her body away to clean up. She slid off her desk and straightened up her skirt, unable to fully get the wrinkles out.

Jane came out of the small private bathroom and Maura ran her hands over the brunette's collar, smoothing it out. She stepped back and checked her outfit again. The detective gave the ME an amused smirk.

"What?" Maura frowned and looked down at herself, worried that she had something on her clothing.

"You look well-fucked, babe." Jane laughed smugly and dodged her wife's hand.

"Jane!" The doctor swatted at the taller woman's shoulder. "God, you're so crude." She smiled affectionately at her anyway.

"You gotta admit, that was pretty hot."

Maura caressed the tanned cheek softly and placed a chaste kiss on her wife's lips. "I am very satisfied and my underwear is ruined… I'll get you back later." The blonde winked as she moved away and opened her blinds.

"Looking forward to it, gorgeous." Jane replied as she unlocked the door.

"Wait, did you need anything?" The ME asked.

"Yep. I got it." The detective smirked again and exited her wife's office, feeling very proud of herself.

\---

Whilst Maura was busy the rest of the week, Jane spent some extra time with her daughters in the evenings while their Mom worked long hours. Thankfully they were used to it and had plenty of holiday activities to keep them occupied during the day.

Their Nonna had been spoiling them and they enjoyed the time with her. They had gotten to see their uncle Tommy and his wife, Lydia, and their cousin, TJ. They also got to visit their uncle Frankie who had just moved to Boston with his wife, Nina.

Frankie had followed Jane to New York once he graduated from the academy several years after her. He did his first two years there and then had followed his sister to Chicago but stayed in the city when he and Nina became a couple and Jane and Maura had moved on to San Francisco. Frankie and Nina had both applied for a job at BPD and were successful. They would be starting the following week and Jane was really excited about it.

Angela was overjoyed. All three of her children and grandchildren living in the same city as her.

Friday night, Maura finally let herself inside of her house before 9pm for the first time that week. She was exhausted. Dropping her purse and keys on the entryway table, she clicked into the dining room and across to the living room where her three girls were huddled up watching a movie.

Jane turned at the sound of high heels on the tiled floor. "Hey beautiful."

"Hi darling." Maura gave a tired smile and kicked off her heels before entering the carpeted area.

"Hi Mom." Lexi greeted. Franky was too engrossed in the movie to realise her mother had gotten home.

"Hello sweetie" She kissed their youngest on her head. "Hi Francesca!" Maura called a little more loudly and the dark head snapped over to look at her. Those light brown eyes twinkled behind the glasses at the sight of her mother.

"Hi Mom." Her seventeen year old got up, gave her mother a big hug and sat back down. "Wait, Mama rewind that please?!" Franky begged, not wanting to miss any of the film.

The honey blonde walked around in front of her wife and curled up sideways on her lap, arms wrapped around Jane's neck. The couple kissed softly a few times, not needing any words to communicate, but had to stop when Lexi began throwing popcorn at them.

"Hey you brat!" Jane picked a piece of popcorn out of Maura's hair and threw it back at the fifteen year old.

"Shh guys!" Franky pleaded with all seriousness.

"Shh." Maura whispered jokingly against Jane's lips and planted one more kiss on her mouth before standing back up and dodging her wife's hands that grabbed for her. "Goodnight my sweethearts. I need a shower and bed." She declared and left the room to go upstairs.

"Uh. I'm gonna go to bed too, girls. Don't stay up too late!" Jane called over her shoulder and followed the smaller woman up the stairs.

"Behave!" Franky yelled out, chuckling.

"Never!" Was yelled back by her Mama.

"I hope I love someone that much after being married for so long." Lexi professed to her sister.

Franky gave her a smile and nodded. "Yeah, me too."

Both girls knew their parents had something special. Their family had always been very close and very loving. They had been through so much, especially over the last few years. Jane and Maura had done everything they could to keep their girls safe and make sure they were loved more than anything or anyone else. Francesca and Alexis knew that and had no doubt that they were their parents' number one priority.

\---

After Maura's third week at work, Jane decided it was safe enough for them to arrive together as long as they were more careful about who saw them. She was beginning to grow tired of the whole thing and was almost at the point of not caring about who found out.

They had been reading the reports sent to them from their old boss at SFPD regarding the finalising of the Hoyt case and were anxious for it all to be over.

They entered the quiet BPD cafe together and were surprised to see Angela Rizzoli behind the counter.

"Ma! What are you doin' here?" Jane asked, handing her enough cash for two coffees.

"I got a job! Surprise!" The Italian woman excitedly exclaimed.

"Angela, that's wonderful!" Maura congratulated her and gave her a hug.

"Yeah Ma, uh, it's great but listen…" She pulled her mother aside. "Remember that no one knows about me and Maura yet, ok?" Jane reminded her mother and the older woman nodded seriously.

"Of course, Janie. My lips are sealed." Angela went back to work and the couple sat at a far booth in the corner of the shop.

Angela brought their drinks over and watched as her daughter yawned. "Starting the day off tired? That's not good."

"Nooo." Jane denied.

"You're yawning because you skipped breakfast, love." Maura stated and sipped her coffee.

"You didn't eat breakfast?" Angela asked, horrified.

"No, I'm yawning because you're boring." Jane teased her wife and drank her coffee with a sigh of happiness. "Ma, can you get me another coffee?"

"Sure Janie."

"You know, studies show that yawning actually increases boredom." Maura informed the brunette with a smirk. "And you're only saying I'm boring because I said no to sex this morning." She whispered the last part of her sentence out.

Jane glanced around paranoid. "We had time!" She argued, still annoyed at the rejection.

"We did not." Maura asserted.

"Did so."

"Did not."

"We did!" Jane won the argument, only because the ME didn't respond again knowing her wife was too stubborn to let it go.

Angela came back with Jane's second coffee and heard the bickering. She rolled her eyes affectionately at the couple.

Both of their phones rang at the same time and Angela almost dropped the drink as she was placing it on the table.

"Rizzoli." Jane barked into her cell.

"This is Dr Isles." Maura's polite tone heavily contrasted the two greetings.

"On my way."

"I'll be there soon."

They both ended their calls.

"Ma, can I get that to go? We got a suspicious death." Jane asked her mother and watched her wife stand up and straighten her grey skirt and dark blue button up shirt. Her doctor looked especially sexy today. Jane was convinced it was the blue on her but in reality, it was mostly due to her unsuccessful seduction that morning and the dull ache that existed between her legs.

"Do you want to ride with me?" Maura asked innocently.

Jane raised an eyebrow dubiously at the ME. "Oh, I wanna ride you alright." She mumbled for only Maura to hear and grinned at the full bellied laugh that erupted from her wife.

They got into the doctor's Mercedes and were at the crime scene shortly after Korsak and Frost had arrived. They walked over to Jane and Maura when they saw them pull up. Frost was intrigued as to why they had arrived together so early in the morning.

"What do we got?" Jane asked, as she opened Maura's door for her.

The ME bit her lip from reminding her wife that it wasn't necessary to be chivalrous in front of their colleagues.

Korsak made a mental note of the behaviour and stored it away for later.

"You know, I remember when Copley Square was just a couple of hotels. Now it's food truck central." The older detective pointed at the body next to a food truck.

As they approached Maura sped up her pace. "Oh my goodness! Is that Chef Holden?!" She asked and Barry caught up to her, knowing the name.

"Who's Chef Holden?" Korsak asked, not having a clue.

"He's last season's 'America's Best Chef' winner." Maura informed them as she pulled her latex gloves out from her bag.

"The reality show?" Jane asked her wife and received a nod.

"He made the most inventive deconstructed pheasant Normandy from hearts of palm." Maura stated and Frost agreed.

"How do you know that?" Korsak asked the African American.

"Uh, I saw every episode." He defended.

"Me too!" The ME smiled at him and he grinned back.

"What did you think of his sous-vide duck?" He asked, interested in what the doctor had to say.

"Oh, that technique was controversial." They both chuckled.

"You know, I-I've made the grilled watermelon with the charred beef and fennel." Frost confessed and blushed at Maura's impressed look.

"You're making me hungry." Korsak declared.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Can you two foodies stop salivating, please?" The detective approached the two uniforms that had arrived at the scene first and secured the area. "What happened?"

"It's not clear, Detective." The uniformed officer answered her. "Those two were with him when he suddenly collapsed."

"Is that Reed Bennet and Dalia Reilly?" Frost asked Maura and she nodded.

"What did the paramedics say?" Jane questioned further.

"He was in full cardiac arrest when they got here. Couldn't resuscitate him." The uniformed officers left after they had given Jane all of their information.

"What a shame." Frost shook his head sadly, looking down at the dead man a few feet away.

"You know, his name, Holden, actually means 'kind.' He donated to every food-activist group". The ME stated as she knelt herself down to examine the body.

Jane walked over and stood next to Frost, respecting the space around the body that Maura required in order to preserve possible evidence.

"He was perspiring heavily. Posterior nose bleed." Maura spoke out loud to help the detectives understand her process in working out whether the death was a homicide or not.

Jane frowned when her wife leaned close to the dead man and started sniffing the body close up. "Maura, are you smelling him?" She asked incredulously with mild disgust. Frost gagged a little and Korsak chuckled, completely amused with the ME's methods.

"Get everyone back!" Maura uncharacteristically yelled and held her hand up to stop anyone from coming closer. The uniformed officers present started to move the crowd back further.

Jane froze in surprise and then her eyes widened in fear when she noticed her wife's nose. "Maur, your nose is bleeding." The brunette stated, trying to keep the worry out of her voice. She moved towards Maura, determined to help her.

The doctor yelled again. "No, Jane! Get back! Call the HAZMAT team now!" Maura demanded. She stood up and took a step away from the body and pressed the back of her wrist to her nose, dabbing at the blood.

"Maura." Jane locked eyes with the honey blonde. "What can I do?" She begged. They all stood and waited anxiously for the HAZMAT team to arrive

"I'm fine." The doctor tried to reassure Jane. The couple didn't take their eyes off one another and the guys definitely noticed the intimate behaviour.

"They're here, Jane!" Frost called out at the sight of the truck and ran over.

Once they had been cleared as non-hazardous, Jane grabbed Maura and practically dragged her over to the ambulance to have her nose cleaned up and to be checked.

"Hi." The pretty, dark haired paramedic greeted the ME with a warm smile. "I'm just going to wrap this around your arm. Check your vitals." The woman stated and put the blood pressure cuff on Maura's arm.

"Thank you." Maura lifted her arm to make it easier.

"I need to check your eyes." The paramedic moved in front of Jane, up close to the doctor and shone her light into the hazel eyes. "I think they look fine."

Jane thought that the check up was a little too slow and the EMT was being overly friendly with her wife. She had no idea where the jealousy came from but it had been happening more frequently lately. She would have to analyse it later.

Frost and Korsak came over to check on the doctor and waited patiently as she was being seen by the paramedic. They would all have to take a decontamination shower soon.

Jane hovered, unaware that the guys were behind her. "She should go to the hospital, right?"

Maura answered for herself. "It's not necessary." She uncuffed her arm and handed it back to the paramedic.

Jane huffed at the dismissal. "Really? Everybody that ate from the food truck didn't get sick. Even the paramedics that were treating him are fine. You touched him with gloves, why did your nose bleed, baby?" Jane asked, desperate for answers, voice full of emotion.

"I likely became symptomatic because I inhaled the toxin that was on his skin." Maura tried to reason gently, not knowing if this would be enough for her wife to hear. She noticed the two detectives standing behind Jane, curious looks on their faces.

"Do you know what the toxin is?" Jane asked, hoping it wasn't serious. She reached for the ME's hands but the smaller woman retracted from her touch.

"I wont know until the lab does the necessary tests." Maura motioned behind the brunette to Korsak and Frost.

Jane turned around and took a deep breath. "Uh hey guys. Do we have to do the shower thing now?"

"Yep."

"Damn."

Once they had finished showering and were wearing disposable white jumpsuits, they asked the lead for the HAZMAT team about the toxin.

"We haven't identified it yet." He stated unhelpfully.

"I'll do the autopsy." Maura asserted, determined to find out what killed the chef.

"No, Maura. You can't!" Jane exclaimed unprofessionally and then shut up at her wife's glare.

"I'll wear a HAZMAT suit and let my staff know to prepare for a biohazard." The doctor stated and left with the coroner's van.

"Hey Jane." Frost called out at his distracted partner as she watched the blonde leave.

"Yeah?"

"Are you and Maura ok?" He asked, concerned about what he had seen between them.

"We're- fine. She just gets frustrated when I'm overprotective." Jane explained. In her concern for her wife, she forgot to filter her response. The brunette stalked off to Maura's car. "See you guys back at the station."

Both men looked at each other with wrinkled foreheads. They were very becoming less confused but more disturbed at what they assumed was going on.

"Are they ok?" Frost asked Korsak this time.

"I think so." The older detective affirmed. "But, I think- I think there's uh, something goin' on between them."

Frost's eyebrows raised. "Like?" He had his own suspicions but didn't want to voice them.

Not willing to say what his first idea was, he shook his head. "I'm not sure just yet but they definitely know each other more than they're letting on." Korsak pronounced, determined to corner Jane about it later and interrogate it out of her.

\---

Korsak didn't get a chance to interrogate Jane over the next few days due to Maura deeming the death of Chef Holden, as suspicious.

The thirty two year old male had been killed with insecticide which contradicted the chef's organic, non-GMO food stance. After further investigation from Maura, who was not satisfied that someone with a refined palette like Chef Holden, wouldn't be able to taste insecticide in his meal.

After tracing the toxin to the chef's hot sauce, they discovered that the man who came second place in last year's competition against Chef Holden, had actually been the one to poison him.

Finally with another win under their belts, Frost and Korsak dragged Jane out for a quick beer at The Robber. They had just gotten her seated when Maura entered and joined them.

Korsak warred with himself, not sure whether he should just confront the both of them but decided that he didn't know the ME well enough to say anything to her.


	4. Chapter 4

Lots of fluff and a bit of sex ahead :D

\---

"Baby, please help." Jane pleaded whilst sitting on the floor of their bedroom, looking frustratedly at instruction papers and an unassembled bed frame leaning against the wall. Her blue tank top was covered in perspiration down the middle of her back and she had ripped the shin of her new yoga pants.

The doctor frowned. "I'm in my brunch clothes." She stated, looking down at herself. The honey blonde was wearing a fancy grey skirt suit with a cute bow and black heels. Her hair was pinned up and her makeup was flawless. "Can't we just do this after we go to Newbury street?"

Jane sat gaping for a moment. Even after more than twenty years together, she was still struck dumb by her wife's beauty. She snapped out of it, being reminded of why the beautiful woman was dressed like that and looked back at the mess around her.

The detective wasn't above whining. "Maaaura, we have to put our bed together before you drag me to boutiiiiques…" The brunette pouted pathetically. " C'mon."

The ME scrunched up her face in annoyance and put her handbag down.

Jane took that as a sign that she had gotten her way. She smiled at the smaller woman and picked up the first page of directions. "Okay, slide tab A into hole B at the appropriate size for mat-" She dropped the piece of paper and groaned. "Why do they have to make directions so complicated?!"

"Okay, they're not complicated." Maura leaned over and snatched the instructions from the ground. "Extend arm C to align with bedframe at point D." She raised an eyebrow at the ambiguous descriptive and handed them back to her wife. "I see what you mean."

Jane smirked and then tossed the paper aside to stand up. "And where are Frankie and Tommy with our mattress?!" She heard the sound of a truck outside and moved around Maura to look out the side window. "Did you know we're getting a new neighbour?"

Maura walked up and pressed herself behind the detective, placing her hands on her wife's hips, she peeked over her shoulder to look. "Hmm… No, I didn't." She pulled away again but Jane turned and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back into the brunette's front and wrapping long arms around her.

"Do we really have to go to brunch?" Jane asked with a sad face.

Maura's arms wrapped loosely around the strong bare shoulders and she leaned in to kiss Jane softly. The doctor opened her mouth to suck gently on a top lip and the taller woman whimpered in pleasure. Maura abruptly ended the kiss and moved away. "Yes. Now, have a shower and change. You stink." She left the bedroom to round up their teenagers.

"You love my stink!" Jane shouted after sniffing herself.

"Not when shopping." Was called back.

"Oh goddamn it, I hate shopping." The brunette frowned and got into the shower.

\---

"I really love this place, Mom." Franky raved as she sipped her coffee happily. "Don't you, Mama?" She gave her dark haired parent a mischievous grin.

"The coffee's great." Jane answered flatly and stared out of the window.

"Darling, stop pouting. I promise to help with the bed when we get home." Maura reached over and laced her fingers with the longer one's of her wife. She pulled their hands into her lap so that Jane had to move a bit closer.

"Eww, you know we can understand your code words, right?" Alexis teased her parents and Jane rolled her eyes.

The detective turned to look at the blonde and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. "Ok baby." The gesture was worth the adoring smile Maura graced her with.

Jane almost jumped out of her seat when her phone buzzed. "Rizzoli." She answered and Maura's rang next.

"Dr Isles." The petite woman responded to her call.

Their teenage daughters looked at each other with a smile. A work call meant no shopping with their parents. It wasn't that they hated shopping like their Mama. Nor did they love it like their Mom. They just preferred to go with one or the other parent. It was the only activity that they hated to do as a family because it always, every damn time, lasted way longer than necessary, and the two older women bickered the whole time.

"Sorry kiddos. We have to go." Jane exclaimed, a little too cheerily. She was happy that she already had on dress pants and a nice shirt to go to work in.

Maura stood up, frustrated. At least she got to enjoy a Saturday morning summer brunch with her family. "Francesca, here is the credit card. No more than $2000 each, understood?" The doctor handed her eldest the card to buy clothes for their upcoming school year.

"Yes Mom. Thanks!" The tall young woman kissed her mother on the cheek and hugged her Mama. Alexis did the same.

"You have your house key?" Jane asked and received a nod. They said goodbye once more and the small family went their separate ways.

\---

"So In Love Wedding Chapel." Frost stated as they all walked up to the building together.

"What a weird place to get married." Jane commented.

Korsak shrugged. "Well, not everyone can afford a big church wedding."

"So, go to the justice of the peace!" Frost remarked with a laugh.

They showed their credentials to the uniformed officer. When they entered the chapel they were confronted with a very bloody crime scene.

Maura placed her bag down a few feet away and found a section that wasn't covered in red. She crouched next to the body. "Her right carotid artery was severed by something very sharp."

"You know, thank goodness you're here." Jane commented. "How would we have known it was something sharp?" She asked sarcastically, obviously in still a bit of a mood after their unproductive morning.

Unfazed, Maura glanced over at her wife with a neutral look. "Don't be mean just because you couldn't put a bed frame together."

"I'm not bein- We'll talk about this later." Jane turned to address Korsak who had just returned from speaking with the few people present. He had watched their exchange with amusement. "What do we know?"

"Bride was Anja Babic. Twenty. Foreign exchange student from Dubrovnik. Groom met her in a coffee house he was managing." Korsak informed his teammates.

"Dubrovnik je prelep grad." Maura spoke as she examined the body.

"Doo-bu-nik-your-upper-lip to you." Jane responded jokingly. She knew her wife spoke several languages but had no idea what she had just said.

"I said, Dubrovnik is a beautiful city." Maura clarified for the three detectives.

"Dr Isles, you speak Croatian?" Frost asked, amazed at how smart this woman was.

"Serbian." The doctor corrected and made another comment that none of them understood. "It's an easy language." She claimed.

"Yeah, I think I'm picking it up… Super-duper-vodka-dooby-do." Jane tried to mimic Maura's last sentence in Serbian. They all chuckled.

"Groom's alibi is airtight. He was waiting at the altar." Korsak stated.

"Well, it seems pretty personal." Jane observed.

Frost, still a foot back from the scene, tried not to heave again at the sight of all of the blood. "I'll say. Slashing her throat on her wedding day." He shook his head at the situation.

"Groom gave me his phone." Korsak waved it at them. "Says his ex-fiancée has been stalking him. She left fourteen messages last night." He hit play.

"You really think I'm gonna stand by and let you marry that euro-slut?!"

"She is displaying signs of intermittent explosive disorder." Maura advised matter-of-factly.

"It was supposed to be our perfect day! That bitch has no right!"

"Her name's Vicky Collins." Korsak informed them.

"I'll put a BOLO out on her." Frost offered.

"Ok. Did you see a knife?" Jane asked Korsak.

"No… But we're seeing a hell of a lot of blood."

Fascinated at the scene, Maura pointed above them. "Look at the arterial spray… It hit the ceiling."

"Crazy shit." Korsak commented and left the small room as the CSI crew finished collecting traces from the scene.

Jane reached out her hand for Maura to take as she stood. The honey blonde accepted it, not wanting to wound her wife's pride but if they were going to keep their relationship hidden for just a few more weeks, the taller woman really had to try and stop the kind gestures at work.

"Thank you, my love." The doctor whispered for only Jane to hear. Her staff hadn't paid any attention to their behaviour.

The detective blushed when she realised what she had just done. "Sorry baby. Can't help myself." She moved away and the pair walked outside to chat with Korsak and Frost.

"Ok, we'll meet you ladies back at the station." Frost declared as he got into Korsak's car. The two men watched as the women walked back to Maura's Mercedes. Jane didn't open the door for the doctor this time but she didn't get into the vehicle until Maura had.

"There is definitely something goin' on there." Korsak commented again. He frowned at the thoughts going through his head. He hoped he wasn't right about what his mind was concluding.

"Maybe they're close coz they knew each other from school or something, Korsak? We can't jump to conclusions. Jane will kick our asses if we're wrong!" Frost laughed and shrugged. He was hardly one to place judgements on anyone. He figured they could just talk to Jane and ask her directly about what was going on. He wasn't sure if she'd answer but they had to at least try.

"Hope it's something simple like that." The older man doubted it. The pair were just too familiar with each other.

\---

Jane sat across from her wife in the BPD cafe.

"I'm sorry, Jane. I didn't know that he was flirting with me." Maura defended herself as she sipped her coffee.

The couple had gone to their favourite cafe that morning to get breakfast before work but it had turned disastrous when the morning barista, who was familiar with the doctor's order, had asked for her number. The young man had been speaking to the petite woman about his physics exam that was approaching and somehow they got into a conversation about subatomic particles and quantum mechanics. Being half her age, Maura innocently thought that he wanted her number for tutoring or another riveting conversation about physics.

"He wasn't just flirting, Maura. He was fucking you in his mind." Jane huffed and stared angrily into gorgeous hazel eyes. She took in the tight red dress. Jane would normally love to rake her eyes over it and enjoy the fact that the woman wearing it was all hers. Today, it just made her angrier.

The ME was visibly upset at Jane's language and reprimanded her for it. "Don't swear… And you can't possibly know what was going on in his mind." Maura argued, upset that her wife had assumed the kind young man's thoughts towards her.

The detective tried to keep her composure as she spotted Frost and Korsak ordering coffee. "Well, that's where my mind goes when you wear that dress." She confessed with a bite in her tone and a slight blush.

The guys saw the women sitting down and walked over to join them.

Unaware of the approaching company, Maura argued back. "So, it's not a problem if you imagine it but not if someone else does? God, I'm twice his age. I find it very difficult to believe that was his intention, Jane." She stated a little desperately, hating that something so immature was causing them to argue. In her upset, the doctor missed her wife's cue to be quiet.

Thankfully only the last comment was heard.

"Uh hi ladies." Korsak smiled brightly. "Mind if we join you?"

"Not at all, please have a seat." Maura's upbringing allowed her to compose herself and politely motion to the two spare seats on either side of them.

The men sat down at the table and Korsak asked about Maura's last comment. "What do you find hard to believe was who's intention, doc?"

Maura looked at them with wide eyes. She couldn't lie. The ME looked to Jane for help but her wife was still visibly upset. "Oh- I- There was this um, this young man at-"

"There was a college kid hitting on Maura this morning. She doesn't think he was and she gave him her number!" Jane responded testily.

"Nice one, doc!" Frost waggled his eyebrows jokingly and Maura let out a chuckle that she quickly stopped at Jane's angry look.

"I really had no idea. I'm still not really sure that's what he was doing." Maura claimed innocently.

"Aww c'mon! You're- Nevermind." Jane waved the conversation off and tried to focus their talk on their current case. "Tell me what you found out about Anja's family, Frost."

"So we know that Anja has a younger sister, Lea. They're apparently very close. We've been unsuccessful in finding her so far."

Angela approached the table with two coffees and grinned happily at the group. "Hello boys! Do you work with my girls?"

Frost's eyebrows raised at the older woman's claim. He had never met her before and had no idea what she was talking about.

"Uh, this is my mother, Angela Rizzoli." Jane introduced the Italian woman and gave the older woman a warning smile before she let their secret slip.

"Oh, how nice to meet you Mrs Rizzoli. I'm Vince and this is Barry. We're in homicide with your daughter."

"That's wonderful! Make sure you look after my Janie." Angela requested with and with some seriousness added, "This job hasn't been kind to her."

"Aww c'mon, Ma-" Jane began to whine but her mother gave her a soft smile and went back to the counter. "Sorry guys. She forgets that I'm over forty and not a baby anymore." The brunette huffed and slouched in her chair.

Korsak and Frost both laughed and noted the ME's silent smirk throughout the conversation.

They were aware of the basic details of Jane's most recent experience in San Francisco. She hadn't elaborated on the story and they hadn't asked. Maybe it was time they did so they could understand their colleague better.

Jane refocussed their conversation. "So, back to Lea. She probably ran because she's scared of being deported."

"Croatia is a dangerous place for pretty girls from poor families." Korsak commented.

"Looks like Boston was pretty dangerous too." Jane retorted sadly.

"Here's how they got into the country." Frost pulled out his work tablet and showed them all a website.

"Samaritan Girl?" Jane questioned the title of the site.

"That's an odd name for a relief agency." Maura finally spoke. "A Samaritan helps someone in distress. If the girl is getting the help, why is she the Samaritan?"

"Shouldn't you be doing an autopsy instead of giving a grammar lesson?" Jane countered a little testily.

Maura steeled her face to stop the hurt she felt from showing. "Actually, I've completed all of my autopsies so far."

Frost was surprised at Jane's mean retort and tried to kept them on track. "I wonder what Anja and Lea were running from in Croatia."

"Samaritan girl helps young women get an education and a new life." Korsak read on the website. "Looks like we need to pay these guys a visit."

"Yep. Did we get a hold of the ex-fiancée?" Jane asked, hoping to interview the woman as soon as possible.

"Yeah, Frankie's picking her up now." Frost explained.

"Ok, you guys go and check out the relief agency and I'll question Vicky." Jane offered and the three detectives got up to leave. The brunette waited until the guys left the cafe.

Maura sat staring into her cup, aware that her wife stood right next to her, contemplating what to say.

"I- I'm sorry Maur." The detective placed her hand on the doctor's shoulder and guilt washed over her when those watery hazel eyes looked up at her with such hurt. "Oh god, baby. I'm really sorry." She whispered and pulled the smaller woman up to embrace her quickly. "C'mon. Let's go to your office and you can show me what you got off Anja's body."

Maura dabbed at her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief that the few customers in the cafe hadn't noticed them at all. The couple left and got to the elevator.

"I- I just don't understand why you're so upset." Maura commented as they entered the lift.

Jane wrapped her arms around the petite shoulders and nuzzled her face into her wife's hair. "Coz I'm a jealous jerk." The brunette explained as she held tightly.

"You don't usually take it out on me like this." The doctor responded and pulled away as the doors opened. "You normally love the way I dress."

"I do, babe. I dunno, Maur, I just couldn't deal this morning. I'm really sorry." Jane closed Maura's office door and then the blinds.

"Jane." The ME warned, misunderstanding the detective's motive for making her room more private.

"I promise I'm not gonna jump you." The brunette smirked and cuddled Maura closely. She ran her hands through the honey blonde locks and kissed her wife tenderly. "I love you so much and sometimes I take for granted how beautiful you are until someone else reminds me. I feel like I've neglected you a bit this week and that asshat made me remember how fuckin' gorgeous you are."

"That's not true, darling." Maura argued.

"Well, maybe not the realising part. I could never forget how gorgeous you are but… I have been a bit distant and I guess my own guilt piled up and I took it out on you."

The doctor smiled proudly at her wife. Jane had grown a lot in her ability to self-examine and externally process. Maura moved her face closer and kissed the taller woman's lips. "Ok."

"Ok?" Jane questioned, unwilling to believe that the ME would let it go so easily.

"Uh huh." They shared another kiss.

"Oh shit!" Jane exclaimed, remembering that she had a woman to question. "I forgot about Vicky. I'll come back down later and see you." The brunette kissed her wife once more and left the office.

\---

Two days later the team, once again, wrapped up the case due to Maura's extensive explorations and attention to detail with the body. It also helped that she had a plethora of knowledge about Croatian culture and could speak Serbian to the two females that were able to confirm the true nature of the 'Samaritan Girl' agency.

Both women had identified the head of 'Samaritan Girl' was indeed Cutthroat, a sex offender and leader of a sex trafficking ring who was providing papers for young women to migrate to America under the guise of helping them. They discovered that the man had been holding 'charity' auctions to sell the young women to the highest bidder.

Jane enjoyed making the arrest that afternoon, helping fourteen women to escape a potentially awful future.

Jane and Maura entered the Dirty Robber and approached their booth where Korsak and Frost were already seated.

"I'm going to make you eat something green tonight." Maura threatened her wife.

"Ok. I'll get extra pickles on my burger." Jane retorted sarcastically and the doctor rolled her eyes as she took a seat.

"We did it again!" Frost exclaimed happily, already on his third beer. He raised his bottle and they all clinked their drinks together in congratulations.

"Aww, how fuckin' cute. The four rejects of BPD having a drink together." Darren Crowe commented as he passed their table.

"Fuck you, asshole." Frost's third beer had made him more loose lipped and he happily told Crowe how he felt.

The bald detective stopped and turned back to face his African American colleague. "I don't think so." Crowe responded with some mirth. His eyes glanced over to Jane and Maura. "I might be inclined to fuck one of them but… Rizzoli might try and dominate me. Dr Isles, however…" He let the comment trail off as he leered at her.

Jane had reached her limit. The real reason jealousy had been slowly building up over the last few weeks, came to a sudden head. It wasn't really jealousy, it was the objectification of her wife. She was sick of it.

"Aww, shut it, man." Frost said and got worried when Jane stood up angrily.

"Shut the fuck up, Crowe." The brunette warned.

"Jane." Maura reached for her hand but Jane pulled it away and stood up close to the bald man.

Detective Crowe wasn't small. Only about an inch or two shorter than Jane and was well built. He puffed his chest out. "You gonna make me, Rizzoli?"

"If I have to." Jane simply answered.

"Jane, he's not worth it." The ME reasoned calmly, not relaying the nervousness she felt. She knew her wife and what she would do if the man said anything else about her right now.

"Darren, you'll go down for harassment. Just back off." Korsak declared.

Thankfully Crowe let it go, listening to the older detective's warning.

Jane stayed standing, staring detective Crowe down until her sat and joined his buddies.

"Jesus Jane. Don't let me ever piss you off!" Frost said, lightening the mood. They all laughed to ease the tension and enjoyed their drinks together before Maura declared that she was going home. Naturally, Jane followed suit about ten minutes later. It was becoming a habit of theirs and both men had definitely noticed.

\---

"Hey kiddo, where's your Mom?" Jane addressed her couch potato younger daughter who was surrounded by junk food and watching a movie. The kid definitely had a metabolism like hers.

"Upstairs." The teen answered back, engrossed in the tv.

"Uh, ok. And your sister?"

"Out."

Jane raised her eyebrow at this. Whilst it was completely normal for most teenagers to be out on a Saturday night, her daughters never really went out unless it was for a sleepover at one of their friend's homes. As far as Jane knew, their girls hadn't made any friends yet in the new city.

"Out where?" Jane asked, becoming annoyed at the one word answers.

Alexis paused the movie and turned to face her mother. "Ummm… With some girl she met at the library I think."

"Some girl?!" The brunette questioned surprised. "Does Mom know?"

"Uh, yeah. Franky asked her and she said it was fine, ask her… Can I watch my movie now?" The young woman asked, frustrated at the interruption.

"Sorry kiddo." Jane kissed the top of the dark head and made her way upstairs.

The detective heard the shower running and almost tripped over herself to strip before Maura turned the water off.

Her wife's back was to her when she opened the shower door. She knew that Maura knew she was there. The smaller woman was leaning with both hands against the tiled wall, the hot water sliding down her back. Her gorgeous golden hair was piled up in a bun, high on her head to stop it from getting wet.

Jane stepped under the spray and closed the door behind her. She pressed her long body against the doctor's back and kissed along her shoulder. "Hi beautiful." She rasped, arousal evident in her voice.

"Mmm, hi baby." Maura responded and dropped her head forward further to give Jane more access to her neck.

After a few minutes of exploring the beautiful body, the detective turned her wife around and claimed her lips. Maura's hands slid over broad shoulders and tangled in the nape of dark wet curls. Their tongues tangled and Jane's hands wandered over slippery breasts.

At the sound of her wife's moans, Jane manoeuvred Maura against the shower wall. She pressed herself tightly against the blonde and grasped the underside of her thighs to lift the smaller body up, groaning when short legs wrapped themselves around her hips.

"Mom!" Alexis called out from her parents' bedroom door and Jane growled at the intrusion.

Maura, hating the shouting, unwrapped her legs from her wife's waist, slid to the ground, and opened the shower door. "Yes honey?"

"Uh, Franky called. She's gonna be home around eleven!" Their younger daughter informed them and Maura frowned. It wasn't like Franky to stay out late but their seventeen year old was more than capable of looking after herself and didn't need a curfew.

"Ok. Thanks Lex." Maura called back and closed the shower door again.

"Is Franky on a date?" Jane asked as she pulled the smaller woman back against her.

"Mm, don't get my hair wet, love." The doctor tangled her hands back into the brunette's hair and they kissed again.

"What can I get wet then?" The detective asked mischievously, smirking at the innuendo and ran her hands over the firm backside.

"You can get me as wet as you like as soon as we get out of the shower." Maura replied seductively and stepped out, wrapping her towel around herself.

"You didn't answer me about Franky. I think you might be trying to avoid the question, Dr Isles." Jane commented knowingly.

Maura scrunched up her eyes, slightly annoyed that the detective hadn't let the question go.

"Maaaura?" Jane whined as she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off.

"Umm-" Maura hung her towel up and moved to leave the bathroom.

"Oh my god! Our daughter's on a date?!" Jane dropped her towel on the floor and spun her wife around, totally freaking out. She had hold of Maura's biceps, almost shaking her.

"This is exactly why she didn't want to tell you. You're freaking out right now." Maura explained and took hold of the brunette's face.

"Maur, she's my baby. Why is she out on a date? And who with?! Lexi said it's a girl!" Jane sputtered the questions all out in one sentence.

Maura placed a tender kiss on her detective's lips to silence her. "Shhh sweetheart. I haven't met the young woman but her name is Chelsea. They are just going to the movies and then getting desert together... Calm down." She commanded and kissed the tall woman again, this time with more intent. "Take me to bed, darling." Maura moaned into Jane's mouth.

They got to their bed, a tangle of limbs under the covers. The detective settled herself between her wife's legs and placed open mouthed kisses down her neck, strong hands massaging the blonde's ass. They both broke their kiss when the bedroom door burst open with a very happy seventeen year old.

Jane lifted her head at the sound. "Franky!" She yelled at her daughter, checking that her and Maura's vital areas were covered.

"Oh shit!" The young woman exclaimed and closed the door. "Lex, you jerk! Why didn't you tell me they were- you know?!" Their eldest called from the top of the stairs and thumped her way back down. She was only slightly embarrassed, used to the knowledge that her parents highly valued their privacy and had a very active sex life.

They both giggled when they heard Alexis cackle with laughter and Franky obviously tackling with her as a punishment.

"Oh my god. I thought we were past locking the door." Jane groaned and dropped her forehead to Maura's chest.

Unfazed by the whole event, Maura shamelessly ground her hips up into her wife and pulled at her curly locks.

Getting the message very quickly, Jane pushed her stomach to meet the doctor's wet core and enclosed her mouth around a pert nipple.

"Ohh Jane!" Maura tightened her hold on Jane's hair. "God baby, please?" The ME begged and Jane rewarded her by trailing kisses down the perfect body, slipping two fingers inside her wife, and latching her lips onto a hardened nub. A few strokes of her tongue and Maura came undone.

Not taking much time to recover, the smaller woman rolled her detective over and sat on top of her, straddling her pelvis. Jane spread her legs and reached her hands up to cup full breasts, her thumbs running over dusk pink nipples. She was so close. Maura reached down to spread herself, her clit rubbing against her wife's. She silently thanked herself for taking up Yoga years ago and rubbed herself unabashedly against Jane, loving the enraptured look on her detective's face.

"Oh Maur... Sooo good, baby. Mmmm, yeah, ohhhhhh god." Jane came with a yell and kept moving her hips when she realised her wife was close again.

Maura hadn't meant to work herself back up, it just happened from sliding herself against Jane and watching her wife climax. To her, it was the sexiest sight. Her wife coming apart because of her and only her. Her second orgasm hit and she slumped forward slightly, her hands on either side of the curly head.

Jane brought her hands up to caress Maura's face. "I'm so in love with you."

"Mmm, me too, my love." The doctor tenderly kissed the brunette and moved to lay alongside her, curled up into the crook of her arm.

"Can I lay on you, Maur?" Jane asked sweetly.

Maura looked up at her adoringly and kissed Jane on her jawline. "Of course, baby." She moved to lay on her back and lifted her arm so that Jane could curl into her side. A long arm placed itself possessively around her middle and she felt kisses across her collarbone.

It was rare that Jane wanted to be held like this but over the last five months she had done it more than in the last nineteen years of marriage. Maura knew why but they never spoke about it. Her wife gently traced the blonde's two inch scar that had been responsible for almost taking her life. "You are my whole world, Maura." Jane whispered into the hollow of the doctor's throat before kissing it reverently and laying her head down on the petite shoulder, her nose pressed to Maura's soft neck.

The smaller woman's arms tightened around the detective's body and she whispered back into dark curls. "And you are mine, darling." She kissed Jane's head and listened as the brunette's breathing evened out. She always fell asleep easily after they made love.

Maura stayed awake, caressing her wife's back and thinking about their daughter and her new, somewhat sudden, interest in dating. The doctor knew that her daughter had been questioning her sexuality. It bothered her to keep it from Jane but Franky had begged her to not say anything and she had done her best to keep it to herself. It lasted all of two hours. Jane could read her like an open book. It was partly why the couple never kept anything from one another.

A soft knock sounded on the bedroom door.

"Come in." Maura called out as softly as possible and pulled the blanket up to cover her chest.

Franky poked her head in and smiled at the relaxed state of her parents. "Hi Mom." She stepped further into the room and sat down in the armchair next to the bed.

"Hi sweetheart. How was your night?" Maura ran her hand through dark curls as she spoke to her daughter.

"Not as good as yours." The young woman joked and gave her Mom a wink.

"I should hope not." The doctor joked back mischievously and caressed her wife's back affectionately. Jane groaned and shifted slightly, pressing herself closer to Maura.

Franky rolled her eyes at the comment. "God, I don't think I'm even close to that." She shared, slightly scared about the thought of having sex. Most of her friends back in San Francisco had already had sex or at the very least, had some sort of sexual experience. For whatever reason, she had never wanted to experiment. She was definitely curious but not enough to make such a serious decision and connect with someone in such an intimate way. She was certainly grateful for a mother she could talk to about it.

"You will be one day." Maura assured her. She knew her daughter. She knew the way both of her daughters thought. They were just like Jane. Sex was a serious topic and one that all three felt a weight of responsibility about. It had taken Maura a long time to comprehend it when she and Jane had first started dating but she had been patient and had not been disappointed.

"It's not that I don't want to. I just- I want it to be so special."

"I know, honey. It will be." Maura encouraged and shifted the conversation back to something lighter. "So, how was your night?"

Franky's light brown eyes lit up and she smiled a full dimpled grin. Maura's heart leapt at how much it reminded her of a young Jane. Her daughter was so beautiful.

"It was so nice, Mom. Chelsea is- umm-"

"Really pretty." Maura chimed in.

"Oh yeah. She's really sweet and super smart. She starts at MIT this year."

The doctor was impressed. "So, she's a little older than you? What is she studying?"

"Um, she's eighteen and studying biomedical science." Franky smiled at her mother's surprised but elated face. She knew it would impress her. "She wants to be an immunologist."

"A doctor?! Oh, you are your Mama's daughter." Maura teased and they both chuckled.

"Well, she's got a while to go before she becomes a doctor but I think she's pretty great." The tall girl smiled bashfully.

"I'm happy for you, sweetheart. Umm, just a warning-"

"Mama knows." Franky guessed with a sigh. "I knew she'd figure it out." She stated with some dismay. "It's ok, Mom. I just didn't want her to freak out." The seventeen year old looked over to her Mama and smiled. She loved that woman so much. She was her hero. She was also crazily overprotective and Franky really didn't want to be smothered by her.

"Don't worry, bub, I'll handle your Mama. Is Alexis in bed yet?" The doctor stifled a yawn.

"Yeah. I'm gonna go to bed now too. Night Mom." The tall girl leaned over the bed and kissed Maura on the cheek.

"Goodnight sweetheart."

\---

Some drama coming up soon! Hope you guys are enjoying this.


	5. Chapter 5

Dramatic one ahead, friends! Adapted from one of my favourite episodes of all time. Hope you enjoy it.

\---

Jane stood at the kitchen bench sipping from her coffee cup and reading the sports section of the newspaper. She hadn't been able to get back to sleep after waking from a nightmare. They were less frequent now but when she had them, they really rattled her.

Reading the Red Sox latest statistics, Jane found it difficult to focus, unable to shake the images of Maura's blood on her hands as she tried to stop her life from slipping away.

She closed her eyes tightly to try and rid herself of the flashback.

"Hey, Ma. You're up early." Franky greeted as she entered the kitchen from the living room and grabbed her own cup for her morning coffee. "Bad dream?" Her daughter asked knowingly.

Jane glanced up and just nodded. The images still taunting her.

Franky frowned in sympathy and pure her coffee. "Of Mom?" She questioned more softly. The tall girl understood. She wasn't there when her mother had been attacked but she dealt with her own nightmares from just hearing a recount of the event. Her Mama had been a mess for weeks after it.

"Uh yeah." The detective rasped, not wanting to elaborate.

"Is she still asleep?" Franky sat at the bench and watched as her mother's face went from tense to a look of affection at the thought of her peacefully sleeping wife. She would be waking any moment now for her early morning 5:30am Yoga routine.

"Yeah, she- uh, late night." The brunette blushed and looked back down at her reading material.

"TMI, Ma." Franky joked and pulled the travel section out from her mother's newspaper.

Somehow this prompted thoughts of her daughter's love life and she stood a little straighter, folding her arms. "So, I hear you're dating someone. You gonna tell me about her?"

Franky winced at the tone and removed her glasses from her face to rub her eyes. "Umm, what do you want to know?" She asked innocently and placed her glasses back on, looking down at the newspaper that was suddenly snatched away. "Hey!"

"Oh no, kiddo. We're gonna talk about this without distractions. Where is she from? How old is she? What does she do? Who are her parents? And when are we meeting her?!" Jane rattled off a bunch of questions and Franky groaned loudly.

"Jeez Mama. You sound like Nonna! I'm not a suspect and— uh, what was the first question?" The seventeen year old's mind was spinning from the inquisition.

"Name." Jane demanded.

"Chelsea Reed."

"And?" Her mother waited for more information.

"Umm, well, she starts at MIT next month. She's studying to become an immunologist. Uhh, we met at the public library. She's really pretty and so nice. You would like her." Franky grinned at the thought of the young woman she had gone out with just two nights ago.

"Oh sweetie, you look pathetic." The older woman teased and eased off on the questioning.

Franky raised her eyebrow at the comment. "Really? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?" She teased back.

"Bub, I know I'm pathetic. Your mother has me completely whipped." They both chuckled at Jane's admission. The truth was Maura had all three of them wrapped around her little finger. They would do anything for her and she knew it.

"Mmm good to know, darling." The doctor's delighted voice sounded as she walked into the kitchen.

"No point in denying it." Jane grinned as she placed her hands on either side of her wife's face and kissed her good morning.

Maura returned the kiss enthusiastically and addressed her eldest daughter. "Good morning, sweetie."

"Morning Mom. Mama is interrogating me for information about Chelsea."

Jane and Franky both watched with scrunched up, slightly disgusted faces as the ME mixed a bunch of oats, seeds, and yoghurt together for her breakfast.

"Jane, leave her alone." Maura commanded without any force, walking out to the dining room to sit at their large table. She placed her bowl down and selected a medical journal to read.

The detective picked up her coffee and joined her. "I'll leave her alone about her love life if you leave me alone about eating green stuff." She attempted to compromise.

"That's never going to happen." The doctor replied without looking up from her reading.

Franky laughed and joined them.

Alexis came downstairs a moment later, looking very annoyed. "Why is our whole freaking family awake at 6:30am?" She moaned, dragging her feet into the kitchen to put the kettle on.

Maura raised her eyebrow in question at the two brunette's sitting with her.

"Uhh, I fell asleep on the couch and woke up coz Mama was banging around in the kitchen at 4:30 this morning!"

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep and needed coffee." Jane defended herself.

"Well, you are both so loud. No one could sleep with the noise you guys make." Alexis accused them testily. She brought her cup of tea over to the table and kissed Maura on the cheek. "Morning Mommy." The fifteen year old addressed her mother softly and sat down.

"Good morning, baby." Maura smiled back affectionately.

Jane looked at Franky again, unwilling to let go of the recent development in her life. "So, when are we gonna meet Chelsea?"

"Jane." Maura admonished gently and Franky groaned again.

"I've met her." Alexis admitted. "She's really hot." She added and shrugged when both of her parents looked at her with wide eyes.

"Oh my god, when did my children start liking girls?!" Jane questioned dramatically. She was in shock. Neither had expressed to her any like or dislike towards either sex. The conversation was freaking her out.

"I find both men and women attractive, Ma. I was just making an observation." Alexis rolled her eyes at her mother's hysterics.

"I definitely just like women… And we're not children." Franky claimed defensively.

The detective laughed uncomfortably. She was perturbed by her daughters' unashamed confessions but pressed on. "Alexis, you're only fifteen. No liking men or women! And… You're both far too liberal in sharing, just like your mother, but c'mon… I wanna meet this girl! I know Mom does too, she's just too polite to say anything."

"Really Mom?" Franky asked with some surprise.

"Of course I want to meet her, Francesca, but…" Maura gave her detective a mischievous glare and continued, "I'm happy to wait until you're ready for that." She explained as she finished her breakfast.

Franky seemed to ponder this as she sat and drank her coffee. "Um, ok. So, if Chelsea actually wants to, I'll invite her over next weekend… But…" She held her hand up to quiet her Mama who was beaming with excitement. "But on the condition that you don't bombard her with questions, ok, Ma?!"

"Me?!" The brunette exclaimed in mock defence and pointed accusingly at Maura. "Your Mom is the one who asks the most questions!"

"Yeah but Mom isn't invasive in her questioning!" Alexis added her opinion to the conversation.

Jane stood up, pretending to be offended. "Yeah, well, you all suck!" She joked and stomped off to the kitchen to put her cup in the dishwasher. She looked back over at the table to see her three girls giggling together, obviously at her expense.

Maura got up and joined Jane in the kitchen. Pressing herself along the length of her wife's side, she wrapped her arms around the slim waist and kissed her detective's shoulder. "I love how you love us." She professed as she kissed further up the long neck and was pulled into an embrace that ended in a mini make out session.

"Get a room!" Came the usual joking directive. Their daughters pestered them until they obeyed.

The teens were shocked when their Mama came back downstairs a few minutes later, said goodbye, and left for work.

Maura came down half an hour later looking for Bass. Discovering that her tortoise wasn't eating, she decided to take him to work with her, not trusting two teenagers to care for her beloved pet. Franky helped her load him into the backseat of her expensive car and she left shortly after.

\---

A few hours into their working day, Homicide received a call from dispatch. There had been a shooting in a warehouse down at the docks.

It was a tough one. One of their own had been killed while undercover.

As soon as they got the call, Jane went downstairs to see Maura.

"Maur?" Jane called as she rounded the corner inside the morgue and entered the doctor's office. "Oh babe, you brought your turtle to work?!" The brunette questioned in disbelief when she saw Maura kneeling on the floor, trying to feed Bass.

"Tortoise." The honey blonde corrected. "He's ill, Jane. He wont even eat any organic spinach." Maura sighed in frustration.

"How the hell did you get him here? Did you pick him up?!"

Maura didn't answer, too absorbed in trying to get the reptile to eat.

"Are you heading out now?" Jane asked, confused that her wife wasn't already on her way to the crime scene.

"Oh… Yes. I was just hoping to get Bass to eat first." She frowned again at her tortoise's odd behaviour. She stood up and smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress.

"You shoulda left him at home."

"And let Alexis give him a dosage of cough medicine again?" The doctor asked sarcastically.

Jane laughed. "She was twelve, Maura. Anyway, I gotta go! I'll catch a ride with the guys."

"Ok, love. I'll see you there."

\---

When Jane got to the crime scene, she stared in shock as she recognised Danny Clark, even with the bullet hole in the middle of his forehead.

"Aww fuck." She exclaimed and Maura looked across at her sharply, seeing the recognition on the brunette's face.

"Jane?" The doctor walked over to her detective and placed a comforting hand on her upper arm.

Korsak heard it too. "You knew Danny?" He asked, visibly upset.

"Uh yeah. We were in the academy together. He's got a wife. Two kids about the same age as ours- mine." Jane stated and shook her head. "I'm ok." She whispered to Maura who accepted the statement and reluctantly moved away to examine the body.

"Knew Danny since he was this tall." Korsak moved his hand to his hip. "It's a damn shame."

"One shot to the head," Frost stated as he held his lunch down pretty successfully today.

"Looks like a large-caliber firearm," Maura stated as she bent closer to inspect.

Jane had a terrible feeling in her gut that increased when Cavanaugh joined them.

"It's a .45 caliber," Sean stated matter-of-factly. Korsak looked at him strangely.

"Abrasions on his sternum." The doctor informed. "There are some hairs missing." She pointed her gloved finger at his chest.

"There's a piece of tape." Jane noted and grabbed one of the techs with a camera. "Hey uh, Joe. Photograph this then mark it and bag it." She commanded and the tech obeyed.

"He was wearing a wire." Korsak concluded.

"He was working for us." Cavanaugh admitted.

Vince was visibly angry now. "Homicide?"

"Yeah." The lieutenant answered.

"Since when?" Korsak was becoming increasingly frustrated.

"I sent him under to get information... about the two dead truckers you were working."

"My case? Without telling me?" The older detective's voice started to raise but Jane patted him on the shoulder to help calm him.

"My decision." Sean stated flatly and walked over to the gathering group of detectives. "Everyone fall in over here. Let's go! I want every cop and detective down here working the streets on this. Get everyone from headquarters. The only cop I want there... is manning the front desk until further notice." The uniformed police officers and suited detectives followed his order immediately.

A well-built man dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans came at Cavanaugh with a finger in his face. "You! You! If you kept us together on this, Danny wouldn't be dead!"

Frost grabbed at the man from behind and held him by his biceps.

Jane recognised Bobby Marino. They had trained together too. "Hey, Bobby, c'mon. Easy!" She stood in front of him and watched as her face registered in his eyes.

"Jane? He- he wouldn't be dead if-"

"I know, shh. It's ok." She turned the upset man away from the body and their boss.

"Rizzoli!" Sean's voice called out to her. Jane left Bobby in Korsak and Frost's care and walked over to him. "I want you to interview Bobby. He may not even know what he knows. You're the best at this. Take him to HQ." He requested firmly.

"I can do it here."

"No, get him out of here." Sean looked across at the man. He was a mess. "And Jane, there's a woman in custody. Uniforms arrested her outside the warehouse last night. They had no idea there was a body inside but she might know somethin'. Make sure you interview her too."

"Yes sir." Jane responded and discretely let Maura know she was leaving.

"I found this in his pockets." The ME showed her a bagged cigarette packet.

"Ok, I'll take it and check it out later. I gotta go and interview Bobby and a possible suspect." Jane placed the evidence into her blazer pocket.

"Ok." The doctor replied and turned back to order her techs to move the body.

"See ya, Maur." Jane called out, still having difficulty not kissing her wife goodbye or being able to say 'I love you' when they parted ways.

"Bye Jane." Maura called back over her shoulder and followed the body to the van, getting in, she left to head back to the station to begin her autopsy.

\---

"Guys, I'm heading back to HQ. I'm takin' Bobby and I'll interview the girl, ok?"

"Yeah, sure Janie. We're gonna check out the next warehouse over and we'll head back soon."

"Ok. Oh shit. I rode here with you guys… Hey Frankie!" Jane smiled when she spotted her brother. He and his wife, Nina, had started at BPD a week earlier and this was the first case they had worked together. "I need a ride." He nodded happily and drove her and Bobby back to the station.

After an interview with an agitated Bobby that had ended with him reluctantly indicating that he thought his partner was dirty, Jane left him in the room and went to see Maura.

"Anything new?" Jane asked, noticing that there was no body in the morgue and Maura hadn't changed into her scrubs yet. "You haven't even started!" The detective whined.

"Sorry, darling. I had to try and feed Bass. Are you ok?" Maura cleaned the steel table and raised an amused eyebrow as Jane stomped out of the morgue. "I guess not." The doctor answered herself, used to her wife's moodiness, and continued to prepare to perform the autopsy.

Jane walked into the interview room that contained the young woman who was scared out of her mind.

"Did you see a face?"

"I'm not sayin' anything until I know that I'm not doing time." The drug runner claimed.

"Withholding information on the murder of a Boston cop... and you're going back, no trial, no nothing. You'll be eating dinner in jail." Jane threatened, not in the mood for any bullshit.

The woman's face dropped. "He was a cop? I- I didn't know he was a cop… This is bad. This is really bad. This is so bad." She stood up in a panic.

Jane folded her arms in an intimidating stance. "Sit down. You're not going anywhere. Did you see a face?"

"Y-Yeah. I did. Both of them. They're really bad guys. They're bad guys. They're gonna come here and kill me." The woman was extremely flustered and pulling at her clothing, her eyes danced around the room.

Jane tried to ignore the warning bells going off inside her head. "Can you pick them out?"

"Yeah. But I don't know what to do. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do?" She tried to get up again, completely irrational.

Jane tried a different approach and softened her voice. "Okay. Listen to me-"

The lights suddenly turned off. The whole building had lost power.

The young girl stifled a scream and slid down in her chair. "No, no… They're here!" She scrambled under the table.

"Hey, what are you—" The sound of shots firing in the distance caused Jane to stop. She pulled at the young woman's shirt shoulder and got her on her feet.

Jane reached for her cell phone and frowned when she couldn't get a signal. She heard voices coming up the hallway and placed her finger to her lips to tell the young woman to be quiet.

Her eyes widened as she overheard the conversation between three men who were obviously not police officers.

"I got the two officers at the door. Here's their weapons."

"Good. I set up the cell-phone jammer and the power's down. Should stay that way for a while. Go to the roof. Take out the antenna and junction box and keep your eyes on the streets. Get someone to cover the back exit by the morgue."

Jane's heart raced at the thought of her wife downstairs on her own. She had to get to her.

The man spoke again. "You come with me. We don't have much time." He ordered and she heard footsteps heading off in the opposite direction of where they were.

"They're here!" The young woman cried.

"Shh!" Jane covered her mouth with her hand. "You gotta be quiet." She hissed and removed her hand. "What's your name?"

"Kara."

"Ok, Kara. Stay behind me. I gotta get my gun from my desk."

"No, no, no." The young woman didn't want to go anywhere.

"If you want to live, you need to stick with me." Jane spoke firmly and Kara nodded, scared out of her mind. She followed the detective out the doorway and down the hall.

\---

Maura was bent over behind her office desk, trying to coax Bass to eat again, when the lights went out. "Shh sweetie. It's ok. Just a power failur-" The doctor crouched lower instantly at the sound of voices.

"Might be in the evidence locker." A man spoke and Maura stifled a scream and grabbed her ears when a loud gun shot sounded as it hit metal. The men searched the locker and slammed it closed.

"It's not in here!"

"Fuck! Let's go. It'll be here somewhere."

Maura took a deep breath and regulated her breathing. She poked her head over her desk to make sure they were gone and reached for her cell phone. No signal. The main lines were dead too. She sat back down, trying to think of how to get in contact with Jane to make sure she was ok.

\---

Kara was freaking out as more shots sounded. "They know I'm here. I gotta get out of here."

"Shh." Jane tried to calm her down as they entered the bullpen and she opened her desk drawer. The detective searched inside the drawer only to discover her gun was gone. She frowned in confusion. "My gun…"

They both looked up as gunshots sounded nearby.

"Go. Go to that door. Go. Go." Jane pushed Kara's back as the young woman kept muttering to herself that she had to get outta there.

The brunette opened the door to the internal stairwell. "Shh. Go up. Go up. Up, up, up. Keep going."

More gunshots sounded as they climbed the stairs.

"Right there. Go in the corner." Jane commanded Kara and moved to check the area.

"Don't leave me. Don't leave me." The woman begged.

"Shh. It's ok." Jane opened the door and saw a police officer on the ground, he had obviously been shot. She closed the door again, breathing deeply. She walked back over to Kara. "I gotta go back down there and help them, okay? I'll be right back. You're safer here." The tall woman explained and avoided the woman's hands that reached for her.

"Don't leave me. Don't leave me." Kara whimpered as she watched Jane go.

Kara glanced up in a panic when a gunshot sounded in the stairwell. "No! No!" She lifted her hands as the man fired two shots into her chest.

Jane opened the door, a newly acquired gun in her hand. She spotted the man one level lower and shot him as he ascended. She angled her gun up at the second man who looked like he was about to kill Bobby and shot him as he moved towards him.

She climbed the stairs back to see Kara's body and Bobby bent over, panting.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked him and pointed at the wound on his leg.

"Yeah…" He nodded. "She's dead."

"Got here a second too late." Jane steeled her face. It was her fault the young woman had died. She tried not to think about her wife a few levels below but felt a little frantic about getting to her.

"Not for me. Thank you." Bobby stated with gratitude.

"Can you walk?" She asked and helped him stand straighter.

"Yeah. But we can't get out of here. They're watching all the exits."

"Who are they?" Jane asked, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"I don't know."

"If they were here to kill a witness, why aren't they gone?"

He ignored her question and pointed at Kara. "What did she say?"

"She said she saw Danny's shooter. Said she could ID him." Jane said with a sigh.

"You get a name?" There was something in his eyes that just didn't sit well with Jane.

"No, nothing." She answered truthfully. "C'mon, we gotta get out of here."

\---

The pair made their way out of the stairwell and back to the bullpen. It had been torn apart.

"What the hell are they lookin' for?" Jane asked herself and noticed a walkie talkie on Korsak's desk. She picked it up and turned to channel 12.

"Is it working?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah, channel 12, but all of homicide is out of range." The tall woman attached it to her belt.

"What do you think?" He asked, looking to follow her lead.

"I gotta get Maura out of here." Jane answered resolutely.

Bobby frowned at her. "The medical examiner?"

"Yeah." Jane didn't bother explaining as they both made their way quickly downstairs. She didn't care about keeping their relationship a secret anymore. All she cared about was getting to her wife and keeping her safe.

"Janie?" A male voice croaked from just outside of the crime lab.

Jane's face fell when she recognised it. She ran to her brother laying on his back, two gunshot wounds to the left side of his torso.

"Oh shit, Frankie!" Jane squatted down and peeled back his shirt, grateful that he had a vest on. In a sudden panic, she stood up and ran through the morgue into the doctor's office and found Maura hunched behind her large desk with Bass.

"Oh, thank god." The detective felt tears in her eyes at the relief she felt.

"Jane, I was hiding." Maura murmured, scared but so happy that her detective was safe. She reached for her with shaky arms.

"Good girl… Jesus, Maur." Jane wrapped her arms tightly around the smaller woman, kissed her on the lips quickly, and then let go to pull her by her hand, back through the morgue. "It's Frankie. He's been shot!"

When they got back to him, the doctor ordered Jane and Bobby to lift Frankie onto one of the tables in the autopsy room. "Get him up here."

"The table?" He winced as he was lifted up. "A- Already? The dead person table? Oww! Fuuuck." He groaned in extreme pain.

"Be careful!" Maura said as she helped guide his head to rest comfortably.

Jane took her jacket off and placed it under Frankie's head then handed Bobby the gun in her possession. "Keep this, ok? Watch the doors. I'm gonna stay with Frankie." Bobby nodded and limped over to the large double doors of the morgue, and stepped outside.

"Cut his shirt off, Jane." Maura ordered her wife and waited as Jane obliged. "What's going on? The phones aren't working. There are men shooting in here." The doctor's fearful and confused tone reflected what they were all feeling.

"I dunno, babe. I think we're trapped in here though." Jane stated, looking at her brother with concern.

"What about that?" Maura pointed at the walkie on Jane's hip.

"That's only for homicide cops but no one's in range."

"They're at the warehouse." Maura stated, feeling deflated. Once Friankie's shirt was off, the doctor grabbed her stethoscope and held it to his chest. She tried to breathe deeply and control her rapidly beating heart. "Give me that binder. We need to keep his head up."

"I think- I just got the wind knocked outta me. That's all." Frankie tried to get up but Jane had her hand on his shoulder holding him still.

"Don't move!" Maura raised her voice in a panic.

"It's bad isn't it?" Jane asked. After almost twenty years of marriage, she could read Maura like a book.

The doctor nodded. "Massive blunt force trauma. He's bleeding internally, Jane."

\---

After going over the case with Cavanaugh, Korsak decided to check in on Jane to see how the interviews had gone. Her phone went to voicemail.

"She must be still interviewing them." Frost reasoned when Korsak let him know that he couldn't get a hold of Jane.

\---

"I need an MR Imager or- or CT scanner, an x-ray machine… Something to check his internal injuries!" Maura claimed as Jane looked to her for an answer.

They both looked up sharply as Frankie started to gasp for air.

"Oh no! I was afraid of that." Maura moved closer to him and brushed her hand over his head when his worried brown eyes looked up at her.

"Of what?!" Jane was freaking out.

"Tension pneumothorax."

"Maura! He's having difficulty breathing. Do something!"

"I'm a pathologist, not a surgeon! Honey, I could make it worse!" Maura argued, desperately wanting to help but scared that she would do something terrible that cost them all.

Jane ran into the doctor's office and grabbed a medical diagnostic book from the shelf. "What is it? Say it again."

"Tension pneumothorax." Maura repeated. "What are you doing?" The doctor held Frankie's hand as he continued to gasp.

Jane leaned over the large book and began reading. "Tension pneumothorax results in death if not treated immediately." She looked up in alarm at Maura, expecting her to do something.

"God, Jane. I'm just guessing, okay? I would need to confirm it." Maura dealt with facts. She hated guessing. She scratched at her throat as felt hives start to form.

"You don't have time to confirm it! Your guess is better than most doctors." Jane stated passionately.

"I- I could be wrong!"

Jane kept reading. "Aggressively manage with needle decompression to chest."

"I've never done it."

"Maura! Get a needle. Do it. Do it now!" Jane knew the only way to get her wife out of the insecure funk she was in, was to command her into action.

"Al-alright. Get alcohol and a- a cotton ball… a-and tape."

Jane rummaged around the drawers and found all of the items. "Ok. I got it. I got it." She dumped them next to Frankie and looked to Maura for the next instruction.

"Hold on, ok?" Maura spoke to Frankie and he reached for Jane's hand.

"Ok." He rasped out and held on tightly.

Maura felt around Frankie's torso until she thought she had found the right spot. Cleaning the area with alcohol and then opening the syringe, she brought the needle down firmly, jabbing it into his chest and pulled the end out. A hissing sound followed and Frankie seemed to be able to breathe a little better.

"Give me the tape." Maura asked Jane.

The brunette passed it to her and watched the honey blonde skilfully fix the tape to Frankie's body to hold the syringe in place. Her wife was a fucking genius and had just saved her brother's life.

"Hey, buddy. You okay?" Jane whispered in his ear.

"It's…" He looked up at her with fear-filled eyes.

"Shh, shh. Yeah, you're alright. You're alright." She repeated, trying to convince herself.

"Jane, the integrity of his chest wall has been breached by a broken rib. He needs a doctor. A real one." Maura communicated, worried about the pale complexion of her brother-in-law.

Bobby entered the room again and Jane spoke to him. "We gotta get Frankie to a hospital."

He shook his head in the negative. "There're at least three men inside the building, more outside."

"What are they carrying?"

"MP5s." He stated hopelessly.

Jane turned back to her brother. "He looks better." She squeezed his hand.

"Not for long. I think he has a partial tear in one of his lungs. Maybe other internal organs." Maura informed, weakly. She had no idea how much time he had but it wasn't much.

"Which means what?!" Jane asked, panic rising again.

"It means that he needs surgery."

"How soon?"

"Now."

\---

Korsak and Frost were slowly putting more pieces of the case together and knew that they needed to fill the gaps in with some information from Bobby.

The older detective tried Jane for the third time and frowned when it went to voicemail again. "Voicemail." He informed Frost.

"Try the front desk." The younger detective suggested.

Korsak dialed and frowned again. "Getting a recording." He stated and anded the call.

"I don't like it! Let's head back to HQ." Frost said and Korsak nodded, eager to find out why the phone lines were down.

\---

Jane looked down at her brother with concern when he started coughing.

"There's blood clotting it." Maura pulled out the syringe she had placed in his lung. Frankie coughed and a large blood clot spurted out and spilled all over his lips.

Jane stared in horror. "Fuck!"

"Turn him on his side!" The doctor instructed and Jane obeyed instantly as Bobby looked on, not having a clue what to do.

"What's happening?" Jane shouted over her shoulder to Bobby at the sound of shots being fired.

"The shots are at least two floors away."

"Oh my god. His lung is filling up with blood." Maura declared. Their family would take a long time to recover if they lost Frankie. She was trying not to panic.

"How do we stop it?!"

"Jane, we can't. We need a trauma center. I don't have the right equipment."

"You helped him before without it!"

"The problem is in his heart right now. There's too much pressure from the bleeding, his heart can't pump."

"Please don't let him die, baby! Please?!"

The gunfire was getting closer.

Jane looked across at Bobby who was still guarding the door with the only gun in their possession. "We can't get him out of here. What can you do right now that will help him, Maur?"

"I don't know. I don't know what more I can do with what I have!" Maura was freaking out and Jane needed to get her normally calm wife, back to where she could think rationally.

Jane did something she rarely did to Maura. She yelled. "He's going to die right here on this table, if you don't do something! Think Maura!" It seemed to work.

Maura snapped out of her panic. "Ok, ok." She looked around for some supplies.

"I'm counting on you, babe. You're the only one that can save him… It's all right, bud. It's all right." Jane cooed softly to her groaning brother.

\---

Frost and Korsak arrived at the BPD and spotted Jane's car out front. "Rizzoli's car is still here." Korsak stated the obvious.

Both men got out of their vehicle and didn't even get to close their doors before they heard gunfire and felt it whiz past them. They pulled out their weapons.

"Oh fuck!"

"Gunfire!"

"Where's it coming from?" Korsak yelled across the car, ducked behind his door.

"On the roof. North and south corners." Frost informed him from his vantage point.

"Get to the radio." The older man ordered.

"Why me?"

"I'm closer to retirement." Korsak argued. "You ready? Go!"

Frost got to the radio. "We're taking fire! I got shooters on the roof of headquarters. Get me some help down here, now!" He yelled in announcement.

\---

"This is a hospital procedure." Maura explained as she laid out her items. She was extremely nervous.

"Ok. Just do it." Jane ordered gently.

"I don't have anaesthetic."

"It's alright, Maur. Just do the best you can. Ok, sweetheart?"

The doctor nodded and spoke to Frankie. "This is going to hurt. I have to drain the blood from your lung so you can breathe." She readied herself.

He nodded and started to turn an ashen colour.

"Oh, Maura, hurry."

"I need you to hold him down."

Jane grabbed his arms by the biceps, ready to subdue him if necessary. "It's okay, bud. It's alright."

Maura placed the scalpel next to Frankie's side. "Ok. I have to insert the tube to drain the blood."

Frankie yelled loudly as the ME cut open his side and pushed the plastic tube into him.

\---

Cavanaugh arrived and ran up behind Korsak and Frost. "What the hell's goin' on?!"

"We got shooters on the roof and more inside." Korsak informed their boss as they ducked behind the car's doors to avoid the incoming bullets.

"Fuck!"

"We think Janie and Bobby are still in there plus a few uniforms, the crime techs, and Dr Isles."

"Jesus… Ok, snipers are in place." The lieutenant was informed that they had clear shots of all outside men and the one on guard in the lobby. "Gotta figure out how to communicate."

"We're gonna go old school, use Channel 12. Frost, give me a walkie."

"Is she even gonna have one on her?"

"Maybe we'll get lucky. Jane, you hear me? Jane, can you hear me?" Korsak spoke into the radio again. "Do you copy?"

"Korsak? Is that you?" She answered the radio with relief.

"Yeah, Jane. Where are you?"

"We're in the autopsy room. We got at least two dead, two wounded. Marino's got a gunshot wound to the thigh. Frankie took two to the chest."

"Ok, do you know what they want?" Korsak asked, trying to understand the situation.

"It's like they're looking for something." Jane said as she thought about it more.

Maura interrupted her thoughts. "Oh, wait. They were looking for something in the evidence lockers. But they didn't find whatever it was."

"You tell me this now?!" Jane looked at her wife incredulously.

"I'm sorry. I kind of had my hands full." Maura defended herself and raised her blood covered fingers.

Korsak shook his head in amusement at the bickering. "Jane, did you get any evidence from the crime scene?"

"Uh, only the pack of cigarettes, but I haven't logged them yet. Why? What would they want with Danny's cigarettes?" Jane asked. Bobby's eyes widened.

Korsak finally understood. "Danny didn't smoke. His old man died of lung cancer. There's something in the cigarette pack."

"Yeah, like what? Where is it?" Bobby walked over, his eyes searched for the evidence.

"Uh, it's right here." Jane pointed to her side of the autopsy table at her jacket that she had placed under Frankie's head, wondering what the hell Bobby was doing. She instinctively stepped slightly in front of Maura.

Bobby pointed the gun at them. "Drop it." He commanded, pointing at the radio in the detective's hand.

Jane stepped completely in front of her wife but Bobby aimed his gun at Frankie's head. There was nothing she could do about it.

"Jane? Jane, what's happening?" Korsak's voice sounded over the radio that was now at Maura's feet.

"Give me the cigarettes… You got till I count to three or this cop is dead. One. Two!"

"Alright! They're right there." Jane pointed at her jacket.

"Don't you screw with me." He pointed the gun at her and then back down at Frankie, seeming a little unhinged.

"Just stop, alright? They're in my jacket under his head."

"Get them."

Jane retrieved the packet and handed them to Bobby across the table. Maura moved closer behind Jane, holding the back of her shirt, and pushed her high heeled foot discretely against the walkie talkie's button.

Bobby examined the packet and pulled out a cigarette with a smirk. "Smile, you're on Danny's camera." He showed them the fake cigarette with a camera inside of it.

"So, you were running the drug ring! Danny must've suspected something." Jane claimed, putting the pieces together. "Is that why he was wearing a wire... and carrying a hidden camera?"

Bobby chuckled and shook his head. "He just couldn't stop digging. That was Danny. I wasn't planning on killing him, but he showed up at the warehouse. He didn't leave me any choice." He confessed.

"You killed the other witness too, didn't you?" Jane accused. She should never have left Kara alone.

"What's one less crack whore, right?"

"You son of a bitch!" Jane yelled.

"Nah, I'm not a son of a bitch. Heh." He chuckled to himself again. "I'm a fucking hero. Now that I got what I need, I'm gonna sit tight and wait to be rescued. That is, after I shoot the three of you." He lifted his gun up and aimed at Jane.

Korsak's voice sounded over the radio. "I wouldn't do that, Bobby. It's over. Let them go!"

Bobby's eyes widened in shock. He angrily reached over and grabbed Jane's shirt.

"No!" Maura yelled as Jane pushed the doctor to the floor, hard. She couldn't think of anything else to do to keep Maura immediately safe.

Bobby wrapped his arm more securely around the taller woman's shoulders, dragging her from the room.

By the time Maura recovered from the shove and got up from the floor, Marino had Jane up to the first level and on his way to the front doors.

The doctor ran after them up the stairs in her four inch high heels and tight red and white dress as though she did it every day of her life.

Maura heard the gunfire on the other side of the front doors and ran past the two dead men in the foyer. She pushed her way outside in a panic.

"Jane!"

\---

"Snipers, you've got a green light on those shots. Go." Cavanaugh commanded and the snipers took out the men on the rooftops, the lobby, and the back of the building. "What the fuck is that?" He indicated to the movement inside. "Hold your fire!" He ordered as he watched Bobby Marino exit out the front doors using Jane as a human shield, his gun pointed to the side of her head.

Jane was yelling. "Shoot him! SHOOT!"

"Bobby, let her go. It's over." Korsak called, his gun trained on him.

"Can you make the shot?" Frost asked, worried about how this was going to end.

"He's got her too tight." The older man shook his head.

"Bobby, please. This is over. Please!" Jane begged, only caring about saving her brother and seeing her family again. She thought about the sweet faces of her girls and her wife. "SHOOT HIM!" Jane yelled in Korsak and Frost's direction, desperation on her face.

"Drop the gun, Bobby! Don't make it worse on yourself. Let her go!" Cavanaugh shouted.

"Take out your keys." Bobby commanded as they got closer to the steps of the BPD, Jane's car only a few yards away.

"Please! Frankie is—" Jane pleaded but Bobby cut her off.

"Take out your keys!"

"Shoot him! Just SHOOT HIM!" Jane screamed, pulling at his arm to get free.

Bobby was quickly losing control of the situation as Jane struggled more and more.

"Put your guns down or she's dead!" He threatened but he knew he couldn't kill her. He'd be dead in seconds.

"No, don't! Frankie's bleeding! There's no time! " Jane yelled as she reached her hands up to grasp the gun. The brunette finally had enough leverage to bring the gun away from her head but Bobby was holding it too close to her body. She did the only thing she could think of. She pulled his hand around and turned the gun in towards our side.

"Your brother's probably dead." Bobby taunted, trying to get her to lose focus. It did the opposite. She pulled the trigger.

The bullet tore through her thin frame, it pushed it's way out of her back and embedded right in the middle of Bobby's chest. The trajectory of the bullet killed him instantly.

"Jane!" Maura's cry was the last thing Jane heard before she hit the pavement, unconscious.

\---

I have to say, I hate the medical inaccuracies of the Frankie scenario but kept it all as the show portrays for the fans. You're welcome ;p


	6. Chapter 6

Everyone watched in horror as the scene unfolded.

As soon as Jane pulled the trigger, Frost had left his post, running for her, Korsak not far behind.

Maura got there first falling to her knees, scraping them on the hard ground. "Oh god… No, no." She whispered to herself and placed her hands over Jane's bleeding wound. "Jane. JANE!" The smaller woman frantically tried to rouse her unconscious wife.

She felt for a pulse. It was still strong but it wouldn't be for long. Not with the amount of blood seeping through the doctor's fingers.

"Maura! What can I do?" Frost asked feeling helpless. He watched the normally put together woman yell at the detective and press heavily on her right side.

"Your jacket, something, anything to put pressure here." Maura commanded, trying to compartmentalise the fact that her love, her life, was laying on the ground, bleeding. Barry peeled his jacket off quickly and did as she asked. He watched as she used his expensive suit to place underneath his partner to stop the blood flow from her back.

Korsak reached them and Maura yelled out right away. "Frankie's in the autopsy room. He needs surgery!" She could hear the ambulance in the distance.

As soon as the paramedics arrived, the older man took them to Frankie.

"Maaaur?" Jane groaned, blinking open her dark eyes. She winced at the pain and her eyes rolled back into her head from the loss of blood.

"Shh darling, it's ok. I- I can't-" The doctor wept as she tried to formulate a sentence. "Jane, please—"

"C'mon, Maura." Barry tried to help her up when the other paramedics rushed to Jane but she wouldn't move.

"Nooo, I have to-" Distraught, Maura reached her bloody hands for Jane's abdomen.

"You gotta move, doc." Barry wrapped a struggling Maura up in his arms as Jane lost consciousness again. The paramedics took over, placing the injured woman on a stretcher, and loading her into the ambulance.

"No!" Maura broke free of Barry's hold and stopped the paramedic before he closed the door. "No, please wait!"

He held her back and tried to close the back of the vehicle. "Sorry ma'am, she's critical. We have to go!"

"But she's my-" The doctor started but Korsak reached for her this time and motioned for the man to close the door. "Noo, Jane!"

Frost watched helplessly as Maura wept, her bloody hands hanging hopelessly at her sides, Korsak's arm around her as they watched the ambulance speed off with its sirens wailing.

Sean approached and Maura reached for him desperately. He held her tightly as sobs wracked her body. "Shh Maura, Jane's tough. She's gonna be ok. C'mon, let's get you to the hospital." He pulled back and walked her over to his car.

Korsak and Frost followed and got into the back of the vehicle. They wanted to make sure Jane was ok too.

The lieutenant pulled out his cell phone and selected a contact. "Angela?"

Maura looked across at him sharply through her tears. She was silently grateful that he was making that particular call. There was no way she was in any state to do so right now.

"Listen, honey, there's been an incident at HQ. Uh, Jane and Frankie. They uh…" He didn't know how to handle the woman crying on the other end. "Ang, just call Tommy and get him to bring you to Mass Gen. Shhh, it's gonna be ok… No need to call Maura, she's with me." He informed the distraught woman.

Korsak and Frost looked at each other in confusion but remained silent. They assumed everything would unfold soon enough. They now knew that Jane's mother and Sean were together. They hadn't seen that coming.

Maura seemed to forget the men in the back were present. Either that or she just didn't care. "I- we— moved to- to get away from danger." The doctor stuttered out through her sniffling.

"I know." Sean said gently. "This… was a rare occurrence, Maura. Jane's tough, you know th-"

"How much does she have to endure, Sean?!" Maura asked in desperation. "Oh god!" She brought her hand up to her mouth. "I have to call the girls." The smaller woman realised she had no phone. "My phone!"

"Here Maura." Frost handed her his cell. "Uh, should one of us call Jane's husband?" He asked, knowing she would probably want that.

"Her hus-" In the midst of their intense afternoon and her anguish, Maura had forgotten that no one was supposed to know about their relationship. "Oh god." She exclaimed again, almost amused at the absurdity. "She- Jane doesn't have a husband." Maura whispered out, unable to explain right now in her emotional state.

Korsak and Frost were bewildered at the comment. They assumed that Maura just wasn't thinking clearly. Of course Jane had a husband. The way she smiled when they asked her about being married gave them no reason to doubt that she had one.

"Uh, we're here." Sean got out and the rest of them followed. Their boss looked nervously at the men, unsure of what to say. He took charge of trying to get some information on Jane.

Maura got inside the hospital and allowed Sean to deal with the staff. They had no information except that both Rizzoli's were currently in surgery. She sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair and froze, forgetting about calling her daughters.

Everyone left her alone for the first half an hour. She just sat there, staring into nothing like a zombie.

"Hey Maura." Frost put his hand on her shoulder startling her. "Are you gonna call Jane's daughters?" He asked gently, knowing the blonde was very upset but also knowing that Jane had a family that needed contacting.

"Oh… Yes, I need to call the girls." She responded a little calmer than she had been in the car. Maura retrieved Frost's phone and pressed in the numbers to Franky's cell phone.

"Hello, this is Lexi." Alexis picked up after the third ring.

"Lex, where's Franky? Ok… Umm, Mama's been hurt… N-no, baby. Uncle Frankie was injured too. I'm- I'll be ok." Frost's eyebrows hiked up to his forehead at the familiarity in which the doctor spoke to Jane's daughter. "No, stay home— Franky? Yes, she was sh-shot… No, bub stay— Alright… I- I promise to call as soon as I hear." The doctor ended the conversation and handed it back to Frost, unaware of how much Jane had shared about their daughters. "Thank you, Barry."

Maura glanced down and visibly paled at the sight of her wife's dried blood on her hands, as though seeing it for the first time. She heaved slightly and cupped her hand over her mouth. It made her feel worse.

"You're welcome. Oh, hey-" Frost wrapped an arm around her and led her to the bathroom. "C'mon, let's get you cleaned up." He helped her clean up and led her back out to the waiting room just as Angela Rizzoli burst through the doors.

"Maura! Oh honey, where are they? Where are my babies?" The older woman asked as she crushed her daughter-in-law to her chest.

The smaller woman pulled back and answered. "They're in surgery." She informed with little emotion in her voice.

"Mio Dio." Angela exclaimed and spotted Sean. "Oh Sean!" The lieutenant embraced his fiancée tightly.

Frost and Korsak's minds were whirling with all of the new information.

Maura sat back down and the men both sat on either side of her whilst Sean comforted Angela.

Tommy came in a few moments later. "Maura! What the hell happened?" He crouched down in front of her and held her hands.

"Sh- shot." Maura shakily replied, feeling sick to her stomach again at the memory.

"Jesus. Where are the girls?" He looked around and only saw his mother and Sean.

"Home."

"Want me to go get them?"

"N-no."

"Maur, they should be here… With you." Tommy tried to argue. He knew what their family had been through already and those girls would help keep Maura together if Jane didn't pull through.

A man in scrubs entered the waiting room with a medical chart. "Family of Rizzoli?"

"That's us!" Angela exclaimed and rushed over. Maura took a moment to respond but Tommy helped her up and they walked over to hear the update too.

"Ok. Francesco Rizzoli?" He confirmed the name and Angela nodded. Maura's heart sped up anxiously knowing that it wasn't about Jane. She was desperate to find out about how her love was. "He's stable thanks to whoever administered his pre-hospital care."

Maura sighed in relief but kept quiet and watched as Angela cried as one child's wellbeing had an optimistic outcome.

"It's still early but we think he's going to be ok. We'll be keeping him in for at least a week so, maybe pack him a bag or something?" The doctor suggested after explaining his injuries and walked away.

Maura stood there waiting at the reception desk for another doctor to arrive. The rest of the group were too nervous to approach her and let there standing there for what seemed like hours.

Angela got back up out of her seat when another doctor came from the direction of the emergency ward. Maura stopped him. "Excuse me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Can you please tell me if you know anything about Jane Rizzoli?" She asked fraught with nerves. "She's been in surgery for three hours and we have no idea what's happening."

The doctor looked down at his tablet and put Jane's details in. "Uh yeah." He looked up at her. "Looks like she's just come out. They're settling her into her room. They should come and get you shortly."

"Oh, thank god." Angela exclaimed and Maura let new tears fall. The Italian woman held her until another doctor appeared ten minutes later.

"Family of Jane Rizzoli?" Jane's doctor's voice called out.

Maura broke away from Angela to find out about her wife. "How is she?"

"She's doing well considering. She's lucid at the moment but she lost a significant amount of blood and we've just given her some more medication for the pain so, she will probably be asleep soon. I'll take her family to her room."

"Please doctor, can everyone just see that she's alright?" Sean stepped in to ask on behalf of himself and colleagues.

"Look, you can all see for yourselves that she's fine but once you've done that, it's family only ok?" The doctor offered as a compromise and they all followed him to Jane's room.

Jane sat up looking a bit groggy. She gave the group behind the doctor a tired smile that turned apprehensive when she saw her wife's distressed face.

As soon as she had arrived at the doorway, Maura rushed to her wife, not caring about anything else. "Jane! Oh, darling." She breathed out as she leaned over the bed and cupped Jane's face in her hands. Her fingers trembled as they ran through dark curls, across tanned cheeks, down to full lips, and across her throat.

The detective smiled weakly as Maura touched her gently, reassuring herself that she was fine. Jane reached her left hand up to pull Maura closer and claimed her lips in a soft kiss. "Shh baby, I'm ok." She whispered against them, her voice extra gravelly from the anaesthetic. Maura pressed their lips together several more times, not believing that just a few hours ago she thought she may not be able to kiss her wife ever again.

Frost and Korsak weren't sure how much more they could handle today. They were suddenly confronted with the fact that their suspicions were confirmed with this new display of affection…

Well, they thought their suspicions were confirmed. They were completely wrong.

Angela clarified everything in a few sentences. "Oh my god, Janie! You scared us. Your poor wife… and your girls. They can't handle too much more of this crazy life that—"

"Please Angela." Maura gently cut the older woman off in a tone that begged her to stop her rant. She knew she was hurting but that didn't mean she got to hurt Jane in the process.

"Sorry Ma." Jane rasped out an apology, ashamed of what she had put everyone through.

"Don't Jane." Maura warned softly, knowing her detective was about to spiral inward, blaming herself for everyone else's pain, and feeding the self-hatred she battled so often. She sat on the bed and held Jane's hand in both of hers, unable to remove her gaze from her wife's face.

"You did good, Rizzoli." Sean patted her leg. "I'd prefer that you didn't take such extreme measures but we're proud of you… I'm gonna go back out to the waiting room and find out about Frankie. I'll check on you later." He kissed Angela quickly and left.

"I'm sorry, Janie… I was so scared. I- I'm gonna go and see Frankie too, ok? I'll come back with Sean later." Angela kissed her daughter on the cheek and then her daughter-in-law. "I'll call the girls." She informed them and left the room to follow Sean.

"Jesus Jane. That was one scary afternoon." Frost claimed as he moved closer to the bed, giving her a warm smile and sitting in one of the visitor's chairs.

"Yeah. Who knew you'd bring so much excitement to BPD!" Korsak joked and got a smile out of her. "So, you two wanna tell us what's going on here?" He teased and pointed at their entwined hands.

"Sorry guys." Jane stated with remorse. She spoke slowly as her pain medication started to kick in again. "I woulda said somethin-"

"You would have said something?" Korsak asked, surprised that she would be so upfront about something of this nature.

Jane looked at him in confusion. "Yeah, of course." She panted between words. "That was the plan."

"We never intended to hide our marriage long-term." Maura added. "Jane, you need to rest, sweetheart."

Both men were completely lost for words. "Uh, we already know you're married." Frost claimed.

"You knew?!" The doctor spun around to face them without letting go of Jane's hand.

"Yeah, you told us!"

Suddenly it dawned on both women what the men were not understanding.

"Jane and I are married." Maura emphasised the 'I'. The men's faces didn't show anything. "To each other." She clarified and watched the shock register.

"Wha?" Korsak hadn't been expecting that. "I thought you two were having an affair!" He admitted.

"That's crazy." Jane laughed and then winced at the pain it caused.

"Jane! Stop talking. You're going to hurt yourself more." Maura sat up and ran her hand over a blanket covered leg. "I'm going to get the nurse and find out about your medication regime."

"No, I'm fine… Babe?" The brunette asked weakly as she watched the blonde leave, knowing there was no deterring her.

"Wow. I uh, wow." Frost said, unable to form a coherent sentence at the moment. His face went red as he recalled all of the jokes he had made about Maura, as complimentary as they were, they were entirely inappropriate to say in front of her wife. "Jesus, Rizzoli! I totally checked your wife's ass out like at least fifty times!" He confessed with a laugh and watched the smirk forming on her face.

"All good, Frosty. Can't blame ya. It's even better naked." She declared with a wink, less inhibited from the cocktail of drugs in her system.

"Oh man. You did not just give me that visual!" He joked, his face red. They all laughed. Well, Jane half laughed, half cringed again at the pain it caused.

"Fuck, that hurts… Sorry man!" Jane wasn't sorry at all. "I'm jus' happy I get… to give you shit 'bout it now. She's all mine." The brunette claimed smugly as she started to close her eyes more frequently, fighting sleep.

"Damn. I really can't believe it… You need to sleep, Jane." Frost got up and moved towards the doorway.

"Ok, Janie. We're gonna go but you're telling us all about your secret marriage once you've recovered and no more dodging family questions!" Korsak pointed at her lightheartedly. He tried not to show the hurt he felt at the lack of trust but decided he would give the woman a chance to explain.

"Yeah ok. There's a good reason for it but… soon." Jane stated as she slurred her words.

Maura reentered the room with a chart. "Are you gentlemen leaving?" She asked, gazing affectionately at Jane falling asleep.

"Yeah doc, she's tired. We'll see you tomorrow." Korsak gave her a hug.

"Bye Maura." Barry gave the petite woman a tight squeeze too and kissed her on the forehead.

"Bye." Maura responded in wonder, shocked at the affection both men displayed towards her. She sat back next to Jane, reading her chart until her doctor came to check in on her wife.

The doctor entered quietly, noting that his patient was fast asleep. "Hello." He smiled at the beautiful but tired looking honey blonde sitting in the chair next to the bed.

His voice startled Maura from her thoughts. "Hello." She greeted back and stood, holding out her hand politely.

"I'm Dr Jason Peters." The doctor took Maura's hand in a firm grip as he introduced himself with what he hoped was a charming grin.

"Dr Maura Rizzoli-Isles." She responded on autopilot.

"A doctor? Great." He said enthusiastically and continued. "Your friend was-"

"My wife." Maura corrected.

Jason's face fell a little. "Oh, I apologise… Uh, your wife was quite lucky. The bullet was a through and through, missing all vital organs but it did disrupt a portion of her bowel that we were able to repair without trouble. We gave her a blood transfusion but, if everything looks ok in a few days, she should be able to go home on bed rest. I assume she'll be under your care?"

"Yes, of course." Maura answered courteously. The gravity of what had happened was starting to hit her again.

"Ok, great. Well, I'll come by tomorrow morning to check her wound but the nurses can help you if you need anything else." Jason smiled again at Maura and left the room.

The ME sat back down in the chair and stared at her sleeping wife. She reached her smaller hands out to wrap around Jane's and laid her head down on her forearm. Maura kissed the hand reverently and then breathed deeply, exhausted as the day's activities came crashing down on her.

Jane a few hours later and Maura got up and doted on her. The detective begged her to sit down and stop fussing. She was fine. She was always fine.

She endured another visit from her overbearing mother in the evening but got to find out more about how Frankie was. Maura was given a change of clothing and changed into the loose knit sweater, yoga pants, and ballet flats, while Jane spoke to her daughters on the phone, insisting that they visit in the morning because she was tired and grumpy.

After receiving her night's dosage of pain medication, she started to drift off to sleep while sitting up.

"Here darling, let me recline your bed." Maura got up to adjust the hospital bed into a better reclining position.

"Mmkay." The brunette laid back on her pillows and was grateful to be almost flat on her back.

"Is that ok, love?" Maura asked as she leaned over to look into dark brown eyes, checking for any indication of pain.

"Uh huh." Jane reached up and ran the back of her fingers over the doctor's cheek. "You're so beautiful, baby."

Maura placed her hand over Jane's and smiled warmly. "So are you." She leaned down to place a soft kiss on Jane's lips. "Sleep darling. I'll be here when you wake up." She reassured her wife and sat back down as Jane's eyes fluttered shut.

"Love you." Jane mumbled, almost asleep.

"I love you too."

\---

Jane was asleep for most of the next day. She missed the visits from her girls, her brothers, and mother. Frost and Korsak came to check in and left again quickly.

Maura had been completely controlled and calm for all of the visits but by the end of the day, she was exhausted. She had barely slept the evening before. Every little beep of a monitor in Jane's room alerted her to a potential issue.

In the early hours of the morning, she decided to break hospital protocol and climbed up onto the bed, tucking herself into Jane's uninjured side. The brunette stirred slightly and instinctively wrapped her arm around Maura's shoulders, just like she would if they were home in their own bed. Comforted by that, the ME finally fell asleep.

"Maura." Jane called to her wife softly, not wanting to scare her awake. She didn't dare move her left arm which Maura had trapped under her head. Her long golden waves were spilled over Jane's chest. The petite woman was still curled up to the long body, sleeping to the soothing sound of Jane's heart beating under her ear.

"Mom?" Franky shook the petite shoulder gently and smiled at her mother when she lifted her head and groaned softly at the pain in her neck.

"Franky?" Maura asked sleepily. She was surprised to see her daughter leaning over her. It took her a moment to orientate herself as she looked at Jane lying next to her and felt her arm wrapped around her shoulders.

The brunette leaned over to kiss her wife softly a few times and then Maura carefully sat up with her legs dangling over the edge of the bed.

"Hi Mom." Alexis greeted her mother with a small wave and soft smile. A smile that was hiding deep upset.

"Babe, are you ok?" Jane asked as she rubbed Maura's back, worried at her silence.

Maura looked back at Jane again and teared up. Her love was ok and right here in this room with her. "Mmhmm." She couldn't speak because of the lump in her throat. It was obvious that she was fighting back tears.

"Aww, Mom." Franky cooed as she realised her mother was about to fall apart. The seventeen year old wrapped her long arms around the doctor and Maura turned her face into her daughter's chest. "Shh, it's ok. She's fine, Mama's fine. She's ok, Mom."

Jane reached her hand out, placing it inside the smaller one. It was held tightly as Maura continued to cry.

Alexis hated seeing her mother like this. They all did. They had seen it too many times before. The younger woman comforted her Mom by rubbing her back but her anger was simmering under the surface. She didn't dare look at her Mama in case she said something she would regret.

Jane had raised their daughters to be fiercely protective of their mother. Alexis, like herself, took it to heart. The detective could almost feel their younger daughter's anger towards her and the situation but she also knew, much like herself, it would calm down as quickly as it rose.

Regardless of Alexis' state, Jane looked on in adoration as her two girls held their mother as she lost control of her emotions and let herself release the pent-up feelings from yesterday. The detective allowed a few tears to escape at the touching display and the upset she felt for having caused it. She was so grateful for her strong, compassionate daughters and how understanding and supportive they had been over the years.

"Hey, uh, sorry." Vince Korsak stopped himself from entering further when he took in the scene before him. The family was obviously having a moment and he felt terrible for intruding.

"Hey Korsak." Jane greeted and watched as her wife gathered herself because of the company.

"Sorry for interrupting, I'll uh- I'll come back-"

"No Vince." Maura sniffled and pulled out of her girls' arms. "I'm alright." She gathered herself and wiped her eyes. She looked up at her daughters through her tears and smiled sweetly at them. "Thank you, sweethearts." She whispered and both teenagers gave her a kiss on her head and sat down. Lexi moved across the room to the chair on the other side of her Mama and Franky sat next to her Mom, keeping a hold of her hand.

"Korsak, these are our daughters. Franky and Lexi." Jane smiled proudly and so did Maura. Their kids were their pride and joy. "Girls, this is uncle Vince."

"Hi uncle Vince." Franky greeted warmly without questioning the meaningful title Jane had bestowed upon the older man.

"Hey." Alexis greeted, more subdued.

"Uh hi. It's really lovely to finally meet you both. Your mother has told me so much about you." He shared and smiled at the beautiful teenagers. "How are you doing, Janie?" He asked, worried about the detective.

"I'm fine." Jane answered and looked over to her wife who held back a protest.

"I'm going to get a coffee." Maura stood up and wobbled a little bit. Jane almost jumped out of bed to help steady her but Franky was already there.

"Jesus, Maura!" The brunette's heart was beating erratically and the monitor reflected the spike in her heart rate. For the moment, the adrenaline blocked the pain that she knew would follow such a move.

"I'm ok." The doctor claimed as she steadied herself with Franky's help. "I'm alright. Just a near vasovagal syncope from low blood pressu— I stood up too quickly." She amended her explanation at the amused but concerned faces surrounding her. Maura let go of her daughter and leaned down to give Jane a kiss.

Vince smiled at the affectionate display that he no longer needed to be concerned about and patted the doctor gently on the shoulder as she passed him.

"I'll go with her." Franky assured their Mama when she cast a worried glance at the doorway.

"Make sure she eats, Franky." Jane instructed and her eldest nodded.

Jane, Korsak, and Alexis sat in silence until the older detective asked, "Is Maura doin' ok, Jane?" He was concerned at how disoriented the ME seemed to be.

Jane and Lexi exchanged glances and the detective shrugged guiltily. "I haven't made it easy on her over the years."

Alexis scoffed at the statement.

Jane sighed and looked back at Vince. "She'll be fine. Maura's the toughest woman I know."

"That's the truth." The fifteen year old declared. "She's had to put up with you." Lexi joked but her statement bellied a somewhat serious undertone. Jane pulled a comical face at her, poking her tongue out, trying to ease the tension.

"Obviously she's upset about Saturday but it's been a tough season." Jane confessed to the older detective. "It's relieving that you guys know about us now."

"Well, I'm very happy to know! I can't wait to hear more but seriously… I could see how much chemistry you had. I thought you were both married to men!"

Franky had just entered the room again and bellowed loudly at the comment. "Oh my god! That is hilarious!" She couldn't stop laughing and neither could her sister.

"I can't believe you thought we were having an affair!" Jane claimed and smiled at Maura as she came back in the room carrying a tray of coffees.

"You try and be around you both and not know you're married to one another!" Korsak defended himself. "It was damn hard. I thought you were gonna jump each other every time you were together down in the autopsy room." He teased and was surprised when the teens joined his laughter. He expected them to be disgusted at the mention of their parents in such a manner.

"Good to know you two are consistent and all over each other at work too." Franky declared and stuck her tongue out at the couple. The action reminded Vince of Jane just moments earlier.

The older girl reached for one of the coffees and offered it to Vince, then took one for herself and left Maura with the remaining two.

"Thanks, Franky." He gratefully accepted and sat down.

"Just wait, kiddo… Next date with Chelsea and I'm gonna hassle you so bad." Jane threatened with a grin.

"Badly." Maura corrected her wife's grammar to which all three women rolled their eyes at.

"I swear you forget Mr. Adverb on purpose just to hear Mom lecture you!" Alexis accused.

The family shared a laugh and Korsak sighed happily. This was such a better outcome than what he had thought.

"Here sweetheart." Maura handed Jane her coffee and grinned at the excited look on her face.

"Oh baby, you're the best— Wait, this is decaf isn't it?"

"Umm." Maura didn't need to answer and watched as Jane's happy face turned into a frown. "Sorry, love, but you can't have any caffeine yet. It could cause symptoms similar to peptic ulcers while you're on strong pain medication." The doctor informed her wife and kissed her cheek in apology.

"Fine. Thanks anyway." Jane took a sip and tried not to notice the difference. Very rarely did it suck being married to a doctor that was as health conscious as Maura. Right now was one of those rare times.

"So, when are you breakin' outta this joint, Janie?" Korsak asked as he sipped his coffee.

"I dunno… Maur?"

"Hopefully tomorrow but she will be on bed rest until next week and off work for at least a month."

"A month!" Jane almost dropped her coffee. "That's… fine." She shut her mouth at the three women who were glaring at her.

Korsak laughed his head off. "Oh Janie. You are so whipped!" He glanced around at the three Rizzoli-Isles women and knew that if he were in Jane's shoes, he would be whipped too.

\---

After a whole twenty-four hours of being home and resting in bed following her four-day hospital stay, Jane begged Maura to let her lay on the couch so she could at least watch tv. Agreeing with the request and helping her downstairs, Maura got Jane settled on the lounge.

The smaller woman tried to not fuss over her but she couldn't help it. It was how she stopped herself from becoming an anxious mess.

"Darling, are you comfortable?" The doctor moved Jane's footrest slightly and threw a blanket over the long legs. "Can I get you a tea?" She walked towards the kitchen, determined to make something and keep herself busy.

Jane sighed. "I don't like tea, babe."

"I know but I bought a tea that-"

"Mom, stop hovering. You're worse than Nonna!" Lexi accused and wrapped her arm around the shorter woman, steering her back towards the living room.

"Alexis, I am not hovering." Maura defended herself with a slight whine.

"You are, Mom." Franky descended the stairs, supporting her sister's comment.

"I- well, you-" Maura sputtered, unable to form a decent argument.

"Come and sit down, beautiful." Jane called out softly. "The girls will make you a tea and we can watch a movie."

Maura frowned. "Fine." She huffed and sat down on Jane's uninjured side. The detective knew her wife was upset and it had everything to do with being ganged up on by the three of them. It was a regular occurrence in their household but Maura never got too put out by it.

They had convinced the ME to return to work tomorrow. With Franky and Alexis on summer break, it made more sense that they look after their Mama.

Franky and Lexi stayed in the kitchen to give their parents some privacy

Jane put her left arm carefully around the small waist and pulled her close, whispering in her ear. "Don't be upset, baby." The brunette kissed her wife's neck and moved the kisses up to behind her ear. "Please…" Jane begged, almost whining.

Maura turned to face the love of her life, placing her forehead against Jane's and reached a hand up to caress her cheek. "I'm sorry for hovering." She whispered an apology back.

"You love me." Jane reasoned with an affectionate smile and captured her wife's lips.

Maura responded to the kiss eagerly, moving her upper body to press into Jane's side and reaching her hands up to wrap themselves in dark curls. "I do." The doctor whispered between kisses. "I love you so much." Maura confessed reverently as she gazed into the dark eyes she adored.

"I know, baby… I-" Jane's tears dribbled into their kiss. "I love you too." Their kiss deepened and became more intense. It was desperate. Jane tried to convey everything in that kiss, wishing she could take Maura upstairs and show her that she was there. She wanted to love her the way that Maura needed, to really feel that Jane was ok.

"Ahem" Franky cleared her throat interrupting their make-out session as she placed her Mom's tea on the coffee table. "We're uh, gonna go upstairs and watch a movie in my room." The tall young woman pointed over her shoulder to her sister and they both left quickly.

Maura laughed first and laid her head on Jane's shoulder.

The brunette kissed the side of the blonde head and wiped her eyes. "I'm really sorry, sweetheart."

"Why did you do it, Jane?" Maura softly asked the question without accusation, keeping her head on her wife's shoulder, and entwining their fingers.

Jane stared down at their linked hands and sighed. "All I could think about was Frankie dying. I assessed where I placed the gun and just prayed it went through parts of me that could be fixed."

Maura lifted her head and looked at the sincere face. She would forever be in awe of her wife's bravery and strength but she was also afraid of when those two traits would cease being enough. "You scared me." The ME pursed her lips to try and stifle her emotions. "You scared me more than Hoyt." She whispered the last part out and watched Jane's eyes flash with fear.

They both recalled the same moment when Jane's hands were bound and Hoyt had a scalpel to Maura's neck, cutting it open, draining her life's source slowly.

"Jesus Maur… That was the scariest day of my life. Losing you is just something that I can't even bear to think about." Jane reached for Maura's face and pulled her close.

"I know exactly how you feel, Jane. Losing you would tear me apart… I know that you did what you thought you had to do to save Frankie but- please… Think of those girls, of me. We'd be a mess without you." Maura sealed her impassioned speech with a tender kiss. They shared several more that stayed soft and sweet and cuddled up to watch a movie.

\---

Nothing quite like a nice fluff-filled ending, right?


	7. Chapter 7

Jane groaned as she was woken up by Maura's cell phone ringing. She pressed herself more firmly against the smaller woman, careful to not push on her recent wound.

Maura reached over to the bedside table and grabbed her phone. "This is Dr Isles." The ME's composed voice answered as though she had been awake for hours. "Ok, thank you. I'll be there soon." Unaware that her wife was awake, Maura tried to unwrap the long arm from her torso.

"Nooo." Jane whined and kept her tight hold. "Don't go." She mumbled into the soft honey blonde hair.

The doctor rolled onto her back and caressed her detective's face. "I'm the only ME on call." Maura kissed the pouting lips. "How are you feeling, baby? Do you need me to change your bandage?" The smaller hands trailed down the lean, tank-clad ribs, but were captured by long fingers.

"No." Jane kissed her wife again, running her hands up the toned arms, across her back and sneakily down to her firm ass.

"Mmm, nice try." Maura broke the kiss. "I really have to go. There's a homicide near Fenway." She was reluctantly let go of and she got up to change.

"Want me to drive you?" Jane called out from the bed.

Maura poked her head out of her walk in wardrobe to glare jokingly at the taller woman. "Ha ha detective." She pulled her top over her head and walked back out, tucking the dark green shirt into her tight black pants.

"I don't wanna stay home." The brunette complained with a huff.

The doctor sat on the end of their bed and put her black heels on. "I know. A few more weeks and you'll be waking up at ridiculous hours of the morning again with me." Maura stood up and leaned over her detective to kiss her goodbye. "I'll see you soon, love."

"Bye babe. Drive safely."

\---

Maura pulled her Mercedes up behind Detective Darren Crowe's car and rolled her eyes in true Rizzoli fashion as she heard him whistle at her.

The ME flashed her credentials to the uniformed officer and grimaced in sympathy as she noticed Barry losing his stomach contents in the bushes several feet away from the body. Maura approached him and he faced her with an embarrassed look.

"Where's Vince?" She asked.

"Not on call. We're stuck with fuckin' Crowe." Frost grumbled and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

"Don't worry about Detective Crowe." Maura smiled easily at him. It never ceased to amaze him how she could be so consistently polite to everyone, even an asshat like Crowe. "Perhaps you should try immersion therapy, Barry. I could help you."

"Uhh, I'll think about it, doc." He turned back to face the body as Crowe waltzed up to where they stood.

"Queen of the dead and… Puke face." The bald detective mocked with a chuckle.

"Real fuckin' original, loser." Frost bit back.

"Detectives, let's just focus on our jobs, please?" The doctor requested and bent over to examine the body.

Frost and Crowe stayed professional enough to get through the crime scene.

Thankfully, it was a quick and easy scene to process and they were all back at the station within the hour.

\---

"Rizzoli." Jane answered her phone from her relaxed position on the couch. Even though she had been off work now for two weeks, she answered as though she was expecting a call to a scene. The detective was already going a little crazy.

Frost and Korsak hadn't been over to see her at home yet, wanting to give her some space. All of her family had visited, especially her mother, who was also driving her crazy.

Franky had been her normal self but she was waiting for Alexis to explode at her any day now.

At least it was baseball season.

"Hi darling." Maura's sweet voice sounded on the other end.

"Hey babe, how's work?"

"Great! The guys just closed a case and want to go out for drinks." The ME stated happily.

Jane was a little upset that her wife would consider going without her. "Oh cool." She responded a little flatly.

"I was thinking of inviting them to our house. Would that be alright?" Maura asked. She had anticipated Jane's disappointment at not being able to go out and had thought this would be a good compromise.

"Yeah? That'd be great. Tell Frankie and Nina too." The detective suggested.

"Sure. I'm just finishing up a report and then I'll be home. Shall I cook for everyone?" The doctor offered, expecting Jane to say no and want pizza.

"Ooh, can you make that Serbian Goulash?" Jane asked excitedly. She had been craving her wife's cooking all week after eating more Italian pasta dishes than she wanted to consume. Her mother had loaded up their freezer and Maura had been working long days.

Pleasantly surprised at the request, Maura replied enthusiastically. "Of course, my love. Whatever you want."

"I want you home." Jane pouted.

"I'll be home soon. I just have to stop off at the grocery store. Love you."

"Ok babe, love you too."

\---

Maura entered the noisy house carrying her groceries, Vince and Barry right behind her. The two detectives had arrived as she pulled into the driveway.

"Welcome to our home."

Both men looked around impressed at the beautiful house.

"Wow. Nice place." Vince complimented and he and Barry followed Maura into the living room towards the noise.

Jane, Franky, and Alexis were rowdily arguing about the baseball game on television. They were spread out on the floor with popcorn, chips, and candy surrounding them.

The three women were being so loud they didn't hear the front door and shoved each other playfully. Maura worried when she saw Jane wince slightly at a particularly hard push from Alexis into the back of the couch.

"Jane." Maura heard herself warn before she could censor it.

Surprised that anyone else was home, the three brunettes pulled apart at the doctor's tone, not wanting to upset her. "Hey beautiful." The detective got up with more agility than someone who had been shot two weeks ago should have. Jane grabbed her wife from behind, around the waist, and kissed where her neck and shoulder met. "Hey guys." She greeted her colleagues, not loosening her hold. "Franky, Lex, come and say hi."

The men watched cheerfully, relieved to see the two women in the right context.

Their teenagers got up off the floor and approached their mothers' workmates. Neither had met Barry yet. Jane enjoyed watching his face study them closely. It was difficult to tell that they weren't biologically hers, they looked a lot like her. The detective knew he was trying to figure it out.

"Barry, these are our girls, Francesca and Alexis." Maura introduced them.

"Hi, It's just Lexi." Alexis greeted politely and sat at the dining table.

"Hey, I'm Franky." The taller of the two shook Barry's hand and then said hello to 'Uncle' Vince.

"Uh, Moms, would it be ok if Chelsea joined us tonight?"

Jane's eyes widened at the request. "Really?"

"Yeah, she's at her dad's and he lives around the corner. She might be a bit late but she's going to come over and watch a movie if that's ok?" Franky asked.

"Sure, sweetie." Jane replied gently, not wanting to scare her daughter off of inviting her girlfriend over.

"Thanks Ma." The tall girl grinned and pulled her phone out to text Chelsea back.

"Have a seat, guys." Jane motioned towards the table where her daughters were now seated. She retrieved them both a beer and returned to the kitchen to help her wife.

"I'm fine, love. Go and sit down." Maura instructed with a kiss and Jane obeyed.

Frankie and Nina arrived as Jane made her way back to the table.

"Hey little brother." Frankie hugged his sister and gave her a happy but questioning look when he spotted Korsak and Frost at the table.

"They know. It's all good." Jane explained briefly. "Hey Nina. You look beautiful!"

"This is why they've been married so long, Frankie." Nina gave him a playful slap.

Maura smiled brightly at the comment. Their affection for one another was definitely one of the things that kept them strong.

"Nah, I'm an ass most of the time. I attribute twenty one years to Maura's patience." Jane joked and Maura shook her head.

Franky laughed and decided to chime in. "Oh yeah, remember that time when Mom had that conference in Chicago and we were home for four days without her?"

Jane was already laughing at the memory. "She came back and we-"

"Had painted Bass' shell a plethora of colours!" Maura exclaimed, still in disbelief over the event.

"Who's Bass?" Korsak asked.

"Maura's pet turtle." Jane teased and waited for the correction.

"Tortoise." Both Alexis and Franky spoke up at the same time.

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe you did that to my poor baby."

"Yeah, we taped a Pride Day sign to his shell and took him out for a walk at Mission Delores park!" Alexis added and everyone roared with laughter.

"Oh no, Janie! Not Bass. Why'd you let the girls do that?!" Frankie asked, laughing at the idea of the huge tortoise painted rainbow.

"As if I had a say!"

"Wait, when was this?" Frost asked, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Last year!" Maura revealed the recent activity and they all laughed louder.

Franky continued with a few other stories of their Mom's patience with Jane whilst Maura got dinner ready.

"I kicked Mama's ass at the batting cage today." Alexis declared to her uncle Frankie. Frost almost spat his beer.

Jane gave her daughter a stern look but it was too late.

"Oh shit, I mean-"

Maura exited the kitchen and approached the dining table, troubled by her daughter's blatant revealing of an activity that Jane shouldn't have been involved in. It wasn't like the young woman to tell on her Mama.

"Alexis… You are too smart to be using such foul language… And you!" She turned to reprimand her wife. "You told me you were going for a walk! You aren't ready for such rigorous activities like swinging a baseball bat." Maura was really worked up and both Jane and Alexis cowered at the heated lecture. Franky pursed her lips, trying not to laugh at them. The doctor continued her rant. "Damage to your peritoneum and bowel is not to be taken ligh-"

"Ok, you may not casually discuss my privates." Jane cut her off and moved her hands around her abdominal area, indicating that it was off limits to being conversed about.

Everyone at the table was trying to contain their mirth.

"You know if you want to recover more quickly, you need to avoid stress to your body. The stress hormone, cortisol, suppresses your immune cells' ability to activate telomerase-"

Jane cut her off, being a smart ass. "So you say… Mine are fine."

Maura kept going. "Quite simply, keeping your brain busy aids recovery. Mind, body—"

"Mind business." Jane cut her off again, not enjoying the lecture at all.

Vince scoffed, unable to control his laughter anymore.

"You are my business." Maura retaliated, raising her eyebrow and daring Jane to challenge her. The doctor caught on to the amusement they were providing for everyone else and leaned over to try and check the wound. "Let me see if you've done any damage."

"Aww Maur, come on!" Jane whined and tried to twist away from her reach but hurt herself in the process. "Owww." Everyone except Jane laughed this time, enjoying the show.

Maura gave up and stepped back. "You still have pain. That could be from intermittent obstruction due to adhesions. When was your last bowel movement?" She smirked at her wife, satisfied that she managed to cause a blush to spread across the brunette's face.

Alexis was wiping her eyes from crying so hard with laughter and Jane glared at her and then stood up and advanced on Maura slowly. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

Maura stepped back into the kitchen area with her hands up, knowing where this was going. "I think you're avoiding." She teased and then squealed when Jane's hands met her ribcage. "Nooo, Jane! Honey, you're going to- ahh- hurt yourself!" The blonde held off the long fingers and the couple ended up in a tight embrace.

"You are so mean." The detective whispered against Maura's mouth and then captured her lips in a quick kiss.

"I'm sorry, baby." Those dimples could get Maura out of trouble every time. The two women let go of each other, making sure to remember their guests.

"Jane, your mother is so sweet. She made me pancakes for breakfast this morning." Frost claimed happily and she smiled. Her mother was an amazing woman even if she did drive her crazy regularly.

"Yeah, she's a sweet lady." Korsak agreed. "Her and Sean are dating, right?"

"They're engaged, actually." Nina informed them.

"So, a whole family affair at BPD, huh?!" Korsak exclaimed as he finished his beer.

"Yeah, Sean was the one who suggested Maura and I make the move back to Boston. He called to let me know about the opening at BPD as soon as it came up, so I applied. Same for Frankie and Nina. He didn't do the hiring for any of us." She defended unnecessarily.

"Ok, dinner is ready." Maura declared and served their meal. Just as she sat down to eat, there was a knock at the front door and Franky's head snapped up.

"Oh, I think that's Chelsea!"

"Well, quick! Answer the door." Jane teased and watched as her teen sprung out of her chair to answer the door. It was indeed Chelsea.

Jane tried to remain neutral as her daughter held the hand of a pretty, auburn haired, young woman, and guided her into the dining room where everyone was sitting. The older girl was almost a foot shorter than Franky. It was quite adorable.

Maura easily stayed calm. Seeing her daughter happy kept her at ease.

"Everyone, this is Chelsea. Chels, this is um, everyone." Franky introduced her nervous girlfriend.

Maura naturally took over and stood up to take the teen's hand. "Hello Chelsea." The doctor smiled warmly and Chelsea smiled back, feeling more relaxed.

Franky sighed in relief. Her mother was the consummate hostess and knew how to put people at ease. "Chelsea, my parents, Jane and Maura. My uncle Frankie and Aunt Nina. And these guys are colleagues of theirs. Barry and Vince."

"Nice to meet you all." The young woman replied and Franky led her to sit down next to her.

Chelsea was slightly overwhelmed at the rowdiness but noticed that Maura remained happily quiet throughout the meal too. She was intrigued by the honey blonde. Franky had explained to her that one of her parents was a medical examiner and the other, a detective for the BPD. She was pretty sure she had figured out who was who and couldn't believe the impeccably dressed, beautiful woman, cut up dead people for a living. It was inspiring to her.

\---

"That was so damn good." Barry leaned back in his chair, very full.

"Yes, it was wonderful, Mrs Rizzoli-Isles." Chelsea declared sincerely.

"Oh no, if you're gonna hang around us, it's just Jane and Maura, ok kiddo?" Jane stated in a joking tone. She liked the girl so far and felt comfortable enough to make the request.

"Yes, ma'am." Chelsea responded, joking back. She was really enjoying the dynamics of her girlfriend's family and friends.

Jane sighed happily and placed her arm around Maura's shoulders. "That really was a spectacular dinner, baby." Maura turned to face her wife and accepted the kiss placed on her lips. She had already surprised the doctor that evening with her earlier display of affection and now a kiss in plain sight of everyone. Jane was definitely a tactile person when it came to her and the girls but any kind of touch around colleagues had been a big 'no no' until she had been working at the SFPD for a few years. Maura wasn't about to complain. She loved the sappy side of her wife.

"Yeah, doc, that was amazing. Never had anything like it." Frost picked up his bowl and then stood up and started to clean up.

"Oh no, Barry, let me take those." Maura got up and took over from him. "Please sit down." She waved off his help and cleared the table.

Jane got up to help take out the rest of the dishes. She took a moment to appreciate her bent over wife as she packed the dishwasher. Nineteen years of marriage and twenty one years together, Jane never got tired of checking her out. From her current view, she could see right down the front of her shirt.

Maura stood up and caught Jane staring at her cleavage. She closed the dishwasher and pressed their bodies close together by wrapping her arms around Jane's neck and sealing the contact with a kiss. When Jane's hands landed on her lower back, she forgot that they had visitors and ran her tongue over Jane's bottom lip, pushing her body even closer.

Frost happened to glance over and groaned softly, looking away to Korsak. "Damn man." He coughed into his fist, hoping to get Jane's attention.

"Mama, stop attacking Mom!" Franky teased.

Thankfully for the teenager, her mothers didn't taunt her further and they disconnected their mouths. Jane grinned at the comment and let go of her wife for the moment.

"Me?" Jane feigned innocence. "She attacked me. She can't resist." She smirked at Maura who rolled her eyes affectionately.

Jane invited everyone to move into the living room where it was more comfortable.

Franky leaned over and whispered in Chelsea's ear. "Umm, do you wanna go upstairs and watch a movie?" The young woman nodded happily. "Mom, can we go upstairs and watch something?"

"Sure sweetie." Maura answered.

"I'm gonna go upstairs too." Alexis declared and left the adults to their conversation.

Jane grabbed more beers from the fridge as she got her libido under control. "Maur, do you want a glass of wine?" She called out, already pulling a glass down and Maura's favourite bottle of Pinot Noir.

"Yes please, my love."

Jane smiled at herself. She knew her wife well.

"Nina?"

"Mmhmm."

"Oh, can I please have one too?" Barry called out.

Jane laughed and poured another two glasses. She juggled the three glasses of wine and two beers and set it all on the coffee table.

"Thank you, darling." Maura patted the spot next to her on their lounge and placed her hand in Jane's lap when the taller woman sat down.

"I haven't had a red wine in ages!" Frost claimed with enthusiasm. He picked it up and took a generous mouthful. His eyes closed in pleasure and he moaned.

"You need a room with that wine, Frost?" Jane chuckled as she watched him enjoy it.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Maura passionately claimed, sipping from her own glass.

"Beautiful? There are no words to describe how amazing it is!" Frost exclaimed. "I gotta get me some of this. What is it?"

"It's a 2010 Château Margaux." Maura pronounced in perfect French.

Frost and Korsak were impressed. "Where'd you buy it? And is it gonna kill my weekly alcohol budget?" Frost asked, expecting the name of a local grocery store and a somewhat reasonable price.

Frankie laughed at his question. "It's gonna kill your rental budget."

"My mother brings it for me when she visits from France." Maura responded, hoping to deter him from finding out the cost.

"So, they don't stock it locally?" Korsak queried with interest.

"I'm actually not sure. Charles Street Liquor might hold a bottle or two. They have a very extensive wine selection there." Maura informed him with a smile.

"Ok, I'll check it out. Can you write the name of this one down for me?" He directed his question at the doctor, ignoring his partner's chuckling.

"Sure." Maura agreed and the conversation about the wine ended. Jane was relieved. As humorous as she knew it would be when Barry discovered the cost of the wine, she didn't really want him questioning why her wife drank such expensive stuff.

The six of them spent the next half an hour discussing aspects of the case that had just been closed. Jane started to get upset that she couldn't help in any way.

"It's not fuckin' fair that you guys get to work and I don't." Jane whined, ignoring the reprimand and the smack to the thigh about her language from her wife.

Korsak smirked. He had spent many years of marriage being swatted at for his potty mouth. Watching Jane and Maura was kind of endearing though.

"So, does anyone else know about us at work?" Jane directed her question at Korsak and Frost, not expecting the ME or Frankie and Nina to have a clue.

"Nah. Still just us." Frost answered with a soft smile.

"Are you guys pissed at us about hiding it?" Jane asked again, some concern in her voice.

"No Janie. Not pissed, just confused. Wanna explain?" Korsak answered for the both of them and Frost nodded in agreement.

The dark haired woman looked at Maura and down to the scar on her throat. She then glanced at her brother and sister-in-law and they gave her a sympathetic smile.

Jane swallowed, mentally preparing herself to answer their questions and explain their situation. "Uh yeah… So, the short answer is that we had to. We've had the media on the west coast hounding us for over six months."

"Seriously?" Frost asked in shock.

"Why have they been hounding ya?" Korsak asked with sympathy towards them.

"The long answer to that, I'm not gonna tell right now coz it's but the condensed version starts about um, four years ago. I already shared a bit with you guys but…" Jane placed her beer on the coffee table and took Maura's hand in both of her own, caressing the delicate fingers as she spoke.

"Charles Hoyt, the psychopath that did this…" She lifted a hand up to show them one of the scars that had already been seen."And this." She pointed to the cut on her neck. "Captured me four years ago. A year after that, he escaped from police custody and captured me again." Jane shook her head at the memory. "He uh, had trained an apprentice. I killed the apprentice, burned Hoyt's face and shot him through the hands. The media was all over that. We barely got a break. Anyway, we thought it was all done and then we had another case with Hoyt's MO about seven months ago. He uh, killed couples. It was gruesome."

Jane turned her body a bit more into Maura's and made sure her wife was ok with the descriptive. Maura smiled softly at her but the detective could see the emotion in her hazel eyes. Jane wrapped her arm around the petite body and turned her head back to face her workmates who were listening carefully. "He asked for me, apparently wanting to give some information about the case. He was dying of cancer so I dumbly took Maura with me but he- he wasn't as weak as we had thought and- uh, he had help."

"Oh shit." Vince reacted to where he realised the story was going.

"He caught me off guard, overpowering me, and zip tied my hands." Jane swallowed the lump in her throat and her voice was raspier than usual. "His apprentice, Mason, grabbed Maur… Tied her hands too." She took a moment to compose her shaky voice.

Maura caressed her thigh and looked at her lovingly. "You're doing a wonderful job, darling."

"Jane, if it's too much-"

The brunette waved them off. "It's ok. Just hard to tell— He- Mason tasered Maura and- god it was fuckin' awful… He switched places with Hoyt and Mason held me down. Hoyt suddenly ha- had a scalpel. He cut-" Jane couldn't finish, too choked up with emotion. She pulled Maura closer and kissed the side of the blonde head.

"Hoyt cut my neck and it nicked my external jugular vein." Maura continued for her wife and pointed just above her collarbone. "Jane broke her scaphoid and lunate - her wrist bones, to get to me. I didn't see it because I was paralysed and had passed out but they fought and Jane killed him. Mason was shot by security moments later, killing him also." The doctor relayed the rest of the tale clinically and with ease despite it being one of the most terrifying days of her life.

"Jeez! So long fucker!" Frost said heatedly. He had been on the edge of his seat listening to the story, scared but in awe as the details were revealed.

Jane laughed at his passionate exclamation. "Yeah. I- I didn't realise my wrist was broken. I just saw Maura. Fuck, I flipped out… She was covered in blood… We- we almost lost her. It was without a doubt the scariest moment of my life." The detective took a moment to compose herself. "Frankie and Nina came from Chicago to be with us… I was uh—"

"—A fuckin' mess while Maura was in hospital." Frankie finished his sister's sentence. Jane had been worse than a mess. The blonde had been unconscious for three days and Jane wouldn't leave her bedside. Not even to pee or shower, nor did she eat or sleep.

Maura gripped Jane's hand more tightly as the detective continued. "Yeah, anyway, I got a call from Sean during that time and so, here we are in Boston, where no one knows who we are." Jane sighed in relief, happy that she wouldn't have to tell that story again anytime soon. "Maura and I haven't worked together since NYPD and Sean thought it would be best to lay low until Hoyt's case was finalised but also so we would establish ourselves individually at work."

"Damn, I guess that makes sense." Korsak agreed with them and shook his head in amazement.

Jane smiled at him, so grateful that he was this understanding. "I'm over it now. The case is closed and I don't plan on hiding our marriage. Especially in front of that asshole, Crowe."

"He is a bit difficult." Maura confessed.

"He's beyond difficult." Frost claimed. "And is one word away from a sexual harassment charge."

"God, ain't that the truth." Jane agreed.

"You can kick his ass now, Janie." Frankie suggested, hoping to see his sister give Crowe some shit.

"I don't think so!" Maura scolded her brother-in-law.

"It's ok, babe. I'm not gonna do anything stupid." Jane kissed the ME's cheek.

They all continued with some lighter conversation for a little while until Korsak got up and stretched. "I hate to say it but I gotta head home. Thanks for dinner and the drinks."

"Yeah, us too." Frankie and Nina stood up to follow Vince to the front door.

"Bye guys. Have a nice weekend." Maura bid the trio farewell and Jane stood to see them to the door.

Jane hugged Frankie and Nina and the couple left. She turned to Vince. "You ok to drive?"

"Yeah, I only had three and we've been here for a few hours. Thanks for the invite, Janie. I had a really nice time. Thanks for sharing about you guys. You've been through hell but I'm glad you're here." Korsak said genuinely and patted Jane on the arm. "See ya on Monday mornin'."

"Night Korsak." Jane closed the door behind him and locked it.

When she reentered her living room, Maura had moved to sit next to Barry and was showing him pictures of their girls in the most recent album the doctor had put together.

"Oh man, they are so stinkin' cute!" Frost declared affectionately. "They've turned into beautiful young ladies."

"I know." Maura agreed predictably.

"So, uh, which one of you two carried them?"

Jane laughed at the question and they both turned to her with confused faces. "Well, bein' a cop, it's highly unlikely that I gave birth to them! Besides, once you get to know me better, Frost, you'll realise that I have no patience for any of that pregnancy stuff!"

Maura nodded in agreement. "Very true." She kept a straight but amused face as Barry held in a chuckle.

"Hey! You're not supposed to agree with me." Jane pouted and slotted herself into the small space on the other side of Maura.

"I'm sorry, love, but you are a Rizzoli and that means impatient, cranky, but also very passionate and full of energy." Maura placed a chaste kiss on the brunette's lips and turned back to Barry. "I carried both but we used a donor that could have been Jane's twin. Hence the resemblance of both of us in the girls."

"Yeah, I see they have traits from both of you. I'm sure I'll get to know who they take after most once I've hung around you guys more." He smiled charmingly and held in a yawn. "I better get going."

"Hey Frost, why don't you stay the night? We have a guest room on the third level of the house." Jane offered and watched as the young man's eyes lit up.

"You sure?"

"Of course, Barry. Please stay." Maura insisted and got up off the couch.

"Ok. Night Maura."

"Goodnight."

Jane took him upstairs to the spare bedroom. "I'll grab you some sweats to sleep in."

"Nah, I got boxers on. I'm good."

"Ok. Night."

"See ya in the morning, Jane." Frost closed the door and smiled at the nice room. He hadn't stayed anywhere this nice in a long time.

\---

On her way back downstairs, Jane poked her head around the open door into Franky's room and pulled it back out right away, blushing. Franky and Chelsea were sitting up, kissing on her daughter's bed. It was pretty tame but she freaked out, not prepared for that sight and unsure of how she felt about this new development. She raced down the stairs to consult with her wife.

"Maura!" The brunette forcefully whispered looking for the blonde. She almost ran into the smaller woman and grabbed at her shoulders, visibly upset. "Maura, your daughter is upstairs makin' out with her girlfriend!" She stated with wide eyes.

Maura tried not to laugh but her wife's dramatic display made her chuckle. "Oh, darling." She wrapped her arms around the slender neck and Jane's hands automatically found purchase on her hips. "She is your daughter as much as she is mine. It was bound to happen."

"Maaur." Jane whined. "She's my baby and some girl has her tongue down her throat." She pretended to gag and then tucked her face into her wife's neck, sulking.

"Sweetheart, I'm sure it wasn't that extreme." Maura ran her hands through dark curls and moaned at the sensation of lips at her throat. Jane's hands ran over her backside and she tilted her head to give the taller woman better access.

"It was so extreme." Was murmured into Maura's neck in argument. Jane kissed her way up to soft lips.

"Mmm, was it like this?" The doctor asked and opened her mouth to deepen their kiss, slipping her tongue inside to tangle with Jane's.

"Nooo, nothing like that." Jane moaned breathlessly and pressed Maura harder into the counter.

Neither of them heard the two sets of footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Ahem." Franky cleared her throat as they approached the kitchen and the couple ended their kiss reluctantly but didn't let go of each other.

"Hi girls." Maura smiled at them. "What do you need?"

"Movies done. Gonna watch another one. Can we have some popcorn?" Franky asked and grinned when her mother broke away to get some."Are you going to make it, Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie."

"What are you gonna give me for interrupting?" Jane teased and poked her daughter in the ribs, eliciting a squeal.

"You can pick the movie if we watch it down here." The seventeen year old answered sincerely.

"You wanna watch a movie with us oldies?" The detective was very surprised but elated that her daughter wanted to watch something with them.

"Sure. Is that ok with you, Chels?"

Chelsea was surprised too, not that she minded. "Of course." She answered, completely bewildered at how close the small family seemed to be. It was the opposite of her upbringing. Her mother was sweet and worked hard but her father had left when she was young. She had two younger brothers that lived with her and a step-sister that lived with her dad. She was completely in awe of the love and affection between Franky's parents and was more than ok with watching a movie together.

Franky and Chelsea chose the couch directly across from the tv and Jane stretched out on the other, to its left. Her side had started hurting and she needed to lay down.

Maura entered the living room with two large bowls of popcorn and handed one to Franky. "Have you picked something yet?"

"No." Franky commented from her seat on the floor, looking through their movie collection.

Maura settled at the end of the couch and placed Jane's feet in her lap. "Oh, I recorded 'Voyage à Travers le Cinéma Français' directed by—"

"No!" Franky and Jane cut Maura off together. Chelsea laughed. She had no idea what the doctor had said but it must have been a bad option for them to react so adversely.

"Fine." Maura huffed, placing the second bowl of popcorn Jane's lap.

"Ooh let's watch this one! It's a classic." Franky declared and waved the blu-ray case around for everyone to see.

"Yes!" Jane agreed enthusiastically.

Chelsea's eyebrows shot right up. "You want to watch 'Fight Club'?" She was impressed. She loved that movie.

"Mom?" Franky asked, slightly worried that her mother was going to make the decision difficult and drag the whole process out.

Their family had an agreement that everyone had to agree on the movie suggested or fight it out over paper-scissors-rock. Sometimes it took them half an hour just to decide.

"Uh, sure." The doctor answered distractedly as she settled herself along the uninjured side of her wife. Jane's arm lifted for her to snuggle under as she laid down between the long body and the couch. She slipped her leg over a longer one and wrapped an arm around Jane's ribcage and placed a loving kiss on her detective's chin.

Franky smiled at her parents with adoration. Her Mom would be asleep within ten minutes tops. She put the blu-ray inside the player and cuddled into Chelsea's side.


	8. Chapter 8

"And heels down." The Yoga instructor directed from the front of the class.

"This hurts." Jane whispered in complaint to her wife who was in a relaxed state, holding the current pose with ease.

"Pain is only in the mind." The doctor stated matter-of-factly without opening her eyes.

The yogi, Brock, spoke again. "Back to downward dog."

"My mind has a cramp." Jane whined, changing positions and watched Maura with interest. "I need to make sure my mat is behind you next time."

Maura couldn't help the smirk that cracked her neutral expression. "Jane." She softly reprimanded.

"The instructor keeps staring at you." The brunette growled softly.

Jane's phone started ringing.

A nearby person shushed her and the detective grabbed her phone, answering it. "Rizzoli."

Brock was suddenly standing in front of Jane with his arms folded, glaring. "Mindful awareness is what can subdue the primitive consciousness... and bring the physical body under control of the will."

Jane stood up, still on the phone, and nodded at him. "Yes, I totally agree… I have to go." She motioned for Maura to get from the floor.

"You can't leave before Savasana." The ME complained and reluctantly got up. "Namaste." She bowed in gesture to the teacher and he responded with a smile at her.

"Namaste." He replied and watched Jane grab at the smaller woman to get her to leave.

Jane was too excited to change and threw a t-shirt over her crop top, dragging Maura out of the Yoga studio to her first crime scene since her injury.

\---

Jane strolled up to the crime scene in her exercise gear, Maura just a step behind her, carrying her medical bag but looking very flustered. "Hey, Frost."

Frost smiled at the sight of his partner. He was excited for her to be back. "Hey, Jane. You guys been working out?" He tried not to stare at Maura's ample chest and firm backside in the tight clothing. "Oww." He rubbed his upper arm from the punch Jane delivered him.

"Stop staring at my wife's ass." She jokingly warned, out of Maura's earshot.

"Damn it, Jane. That hurt! I'm tryin'! God, can you blame me?" He defended and tried to shift into work mode. "Did you go for a run or something this morning?"

Jane shook her head and pulled on a pair of gloves.

"We were at yoga." Maura informed him as she crouched next to the body.

"You got her to do yoga?" Frost asked incredulously.

"No, it was my idea." Jane answered sarcastically, kneeling on the other side of the dead woman.

"I love yoga." He claimed and Jane rolled her eyes at him.

Still focussed on the body, the ME frowned and complained about her state of mind. "We had to leave before Ardha Chandrasana. I feel very unbalanced."

Jane ignored the complaint and stood up, understanding Frost's difficulty with her wife's apparel. It was quite revealing and out of place at the crime scene.

Maura looked up and caught her Jane looking down the front of her top. She raised her eyebrow and the detective looked away guiltily.

Jane refocussed on the scene and pointed from one area of the pavement and back to the body. "She was dragged here."

Korsak wandered over and handed the woman's wallet and ID to Jane. "All photographed and inventoried."

Jane read the licence. "Katelyn Gaynor-Randle, 32."

"Plenty of cash in here. Scratch robbery."

"You find what was used to beat her?" Jane asked Korsak.

He shook his head. "Not yet."

"Vintage. She had a flair for clothes." All three detectives chuckled at Maura's comment. "She was sexually assaulted. Reddish-brown stains on the inner thighs and external genitalia." The ME explained and they winced at the news.

"And she was married." Jane pointed to her wedding ring.

Frost picked up a small device next to the woman's hip. "Pager's totalled."

"It's not a pager. It's a glucose-management system." Maura explained and got three blank stares. "Insulin pump. She was diabetic." She clarified and watched as recognition registered on their faces. Frost handed the pump to her and she checked the readings.

"Yeah, needle sticks." Korsak pointed out from the woman's bag.

"She probably had to check her glucose level about five to ten times a day. Maybe there's... Yes, she kept careful records. Her last glucose-level reading was over 400." Maura stated with surprise.

Jane stood just behind her wife and asked, "Is that good or bad?"

Maura didn't even flinch at the close proximity. She secretly relished in the fact that they didn't have to be mindful of this sort of thing anymore, as long as they remained professional at work. "It's extremely high." She turned her face to look at Jane.

The detective raised an eyebrow at her and asked again, "Is that good or bad?"

"Bad, darling. She wasn't getting any insulin. She probably had slurred speech, trouble walking..."

"Explains no defensive wounds." Jane stepped around the smaller woman and observed the body again. "She couldn't fight back. Murder weapon has a rectangular edge on it." She began searching for something that matched the head wound.

"I can't confirm that." The doctor declared, forever amused by her wife's ease in guessing.

Once again, Jane ignored her and went with her gut. "Hey, Frost, we're looking for a 2-by-4."

"We're looking for an idiot." He picked up the piece of blood covered wood from the nearby dumpster.

"That your way of saying you wanna talk to the husband?" Jane smirked.

Korsak couldn't help but chime in again. "What's it say about relationships, that the husband's our first suspect?"

Maura had been searching the woman's wallet whilst the detectives had been chatting and discovered a picture of two women on their wedding day, one was the murder victim. "Jane… it may not be the husband."

Jane received the photo and studied it. "Because she didn't have a husband."

\---

A few hours later, Frost and Jane were in an interview room, speaking with the victim's weeping wife.

"We're sorry for your loss, Mrs. Randle." Frost climbed with sympathy.

The tall blonde woman looked up at him from her seated position and folded her arms, sniffling away her tears. "I prefer Mel. And it's Gaynor-Randle. We took each other's names."

Jane sat down to face Mel and waited for her to speak again.

The woman seemed agitated which was understandable considering the circumstances. She got upset at both detectives. "The Commonwealth recognises our marriage. I have a right to know who did this."

Jane nodded in agreement. "Of course you do. We wanna know too. When was the last time you spoke to her?"

"Um... 5pm, maybe?"

"Did she always work late?"

Mel thought about it for a moment before responding. "Always, on my night out. I'm the captain of the LGBT bowling league." At the blank looks across from her, she explained further. "Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender."

"I'm aware of the initialism." Jane rasped, getting annoyed at the slightly arrogant woman. "What time did you get home?"

Mel leaned back in her chair and appraised the woman in front of her. "About 10pm. I called Katie's office, then her cell. By midnight, I was calling the ER and you guys, over and over again. You can check with my alarm company, my cell records... the bowling alley."

"We will have to verify your whereabouts." Frost confirmed.

Mel nodded. "Understood. The spouse is always the first suspect."

\---

Jane entered the morgue as Maura was sewing Katie's body up, taking care to make sure each stitch was neatly done.

"It's not like she has to worry about the scar, babe." Jane joked as she approached the body on the other side of the table.

Maura didn't look up. "Don't rush me."

Jane smiled affectionately at the smaller woman. "Well, multitask then. What was the time of death?"

"The core temperature I took hepatically was 88.4 degrees. She was killed between 2 and 3am."

"Any DNA from the sexual assault?"

"No semen, but I did collect some deerskin fibres." The ME informed and retrieved the small plastic bag with the hairs in it.

Jane raised an eyebrow at that and received the package. "So we're looking for Bambi?"

"No. Deerskin from apparel." Maura stated as she completed the last few stitches.

"Moccasins? A tepee?" Jane joked, hoping to get her wife to look up.

"Tepees are generally constructed from buffalo hides."

"Maaaura, you are so literal." The detective whined, upset that the doctor was in full work mode and not appreciating any of her jokes. "Ok, so no prints." She huffed in annoyance. "Baby, I need yooou—" Jane grinned in triumph when Maura's head snapped up to look at her, shocked at the forwardness. Jane finished the rest of her sentence before she got into trouble. "—to tell me what killed her."

"Oh, Jane!" The ME laughed and slapped her wife lightly on the shoulder and received a quick kiss. "There should be more blood associated with her facial lacerations… It looks like the assault and the rape happened postmortem."

"What, she was raped and beaten after she was killed?" Jane grimaced at Maura's nod. "So, what killed her?"

"I don't know yet."

"Baaaby!" Jane whined at her wife.

The ME rolled her eyes. "An adrenaline response to panic overstressed her heart... which was already compromised by diabetes."

"So why rape and beat her once she was dead?" Jane asked herself more than Maura.

The doctor lifted Katie's wrist and turned it over. "Look at this." She showed Jane a stamp on the woman's hand.

"Merch." Jane read what the stamp said and frowned at the club name.

"Mmhmm. It means 'girl' in Welsh."

"Since when do lawyers have club stamps?"

\---

After finding the stamp on Katie's hand, Jane and Frost decided to question the owner of the club.

They entered the quiet area, obviously with no patrons present in the middle of the day. An attractive bleached blonde in tight leather pants and vest looked Jane up and down as she entered.

"Hi, I'm Detective Rizzoli and this is Detective Frost. Have you seen this woman?" Jane showed the owner a photo of Katie.

Recognition crossed her face. "Yeah, she came in Monday nights like clockwork. She was here last night."

"Did you see her leave?"

"It was packed."

"Did you see her with her wife?"

The blonde shook her head. "No, but she talked about her. It seemed like a good relationship. As far as marriages go… God, I hate this. If she'd just gone someplace else, she'd still be alive."

"Why? This is a lesbian bar."

"Yeah." She moved to behind the bar and pulled out a flyer. "I didn't take these psychos seriously. It's Massachusetts. Same-sex marriage is legal here!"

Jane stared angrily at the obvious hate flyer with a picture of two women kissing and a large red slash through the middle.

"I thought we were past this." Jane mumbled to herself. "Can we take it?" She indicated the flyer.

"Yeah, it's yours." The woman offered easily, unabashedly checking the brunette out again.

"Thanks a lot." Jane smiled charmingly at her. "If you think of anything…"

"I'll let you know." The owner winked and watched as the detectives left her club.

\---

Jane got home later that night with no further leads on the case. She locked up her gun and made her way to the living room, flopping down on the couch.

"Hey Ma." Alexis walked into the room and grabbed the remote from the coffee table.

"Hi sweetie. How was your day?"

"Eh, it was alright." The young woman stated unenthusiastically and switched on the television.

"Are you making any friends?" Jane turned to look at her fifteen year old, worried about her attitude.

"Not really." Lexi shrugged and stared at the tv.

"Lex-"

"I don't wanna talk about it, ok?"

"Ok." Jane raised her hands, backing right off. She would let Maura handle this one. She turned her head at the sound of high heels clicking across the floor of the dining room behind her. "Hey, beautiful."

Maura was pleasantly surprised to see her wife home already and walked over to greet her. "Hi love, you're home early considering you just got a new case." She held in a moan when Jane claimed her lips and held her for an extra few seconds.

"Mmm, I know but there wasn't much that we could do. Where's Franky?" The brunette asked.

"I don't know… Alexis?"

"Chelsea's."

Jane and Maura looked at each other with concern at their daughter's flat tone. The detective shrugged, unsure of what to do.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" The doctor asked and sat next to the young woman, placing a hand on her back.

Alexis nodded then changed her mind and shook her head. She dropped the remote, wrapped her arms around her mother's waist, and started sobbing into her neck.

"Oh honey." Maura cooed and Jane got up to wrap her up from the other side. "What's going on?"

After a few minutes of crying, Lexi wiped at her eyes and looked at both of her parents then cast her eyes down to her lap. "I hate my new school and I miss my friends." She started weeping again.

"Aww baby, I'm sorry you hate it. How can we help?" Jane asked as she stroked the dark head soothingly.

"You can't. I- I just need to get used to it." The young woman offered logically. So much like her Mom.

"Do you want to join a sports team? That might help you make some new friends." Jane offered, knowing how much her daughter loved sport.

"Um, maybe? Can I think about it?" Lexi already felt better. Her moms cared so much about her and were willing to be there for her no matter what. She vowed to make more effort in making some friends and sport sounded good to her.

"Of course, Lexi. We love you so much and want you to be happy here. Even if you wanted to change schools, we would support that, darling." Maura declared as she held her daughter's hand and looked into her troubled brown eyes.

"Thanks Mom." The young woman took another moment to enjoy her parents' affection and got up from the couch. "I'm gonna go for a walk into town." She left the two women bewildered, watching her grab her backpack and retreat towards the front door.

"What just happened?" Jane asked, staring at the now empty seat between her and Maura.

"No idea." Maura stated and laid back with her eyes closed.

Jane scooted closer, snuggling up to her wife. She laid her head on the doctor's chest and wrapped her long arms around the petite waist. "Mmm, you smell good."

Maura wrapped her arms around strong shoulders and kissed the top of the dark head. "I showered." She smiled when she felt lips at her throat, tracing the scar there, and then up her neck. "I need to get up and make dinner, love."

"Nooo… Don't need dinner… Just you." Jane said between kisses and claimed willing lips.

The ME tangled her hands in Jane's hair and deepened their kiss. She felt herself sink sideways on the couch and before she knew it, Jane was laying between her legs, her shirt pushed up to her neck, and the detective was kissing across the top of her lace covered chest.

Jane palmed a breast in one hand and sucked at the top of another, her spare hand massaging her doctor's backside.

Neither of them heard the front door open or the footsteps that got closer to the living room.

"Oh, woah! Mama! Mom!" Franky's voice yelled, embarrassed because her girlfriend had decided to come over and hang out. The teenagers had gotten an eyeful of Maura's cleavage before Jane had pressed their bodies together in order to cover it up. Both women lay wrapped around each other, laughing hard.

"Can you knock next time?" Jane joked as she pulled the ME's top back down and sat up, still situated between her wife's legs.

"Don't you have a bedroom for that?" The tall young woman rolled her eyes and plonked down on the couch on the other side of the room.

"Hi Chelsea." Jane greeted and Maura waved from her reclining position.

"Um, hi." The young woman was bright red, unable to look either of them in the eye.

"Great, now you've scarred Chelsea." Franky joked and rubbed her girlfriend's leg. "You ok?"

"Uh huh."

"Ok, well, we are gonna go and make use of our bedroom, like you suggested." Jane laughed when Franky groaned and Chelsea turned red again.

"Jane! Stop teasing them." Maura scolded her wife and sat up wrapping her arms around Jane's neck. One leg stretched out along the back of the taller woman and the other across her lap.

Jane grinned mischievously and attempted to pick Maura up. With a squeal and a few swats to her shoulder, she successfully stood with her precious cargo and walked towards the stairs.

"Mom! We need dinner." Franky whined, aware of how crazy they seemed to her girlfriend but she didn't care. Her parents had something beyond special and she hoped that whoever she ended up with wanted the same. She wouldn't settle for anything less.

"Mmm.." The doctor pulled her mouth away from her wife's neck. "Uh, order pizza!" She shouted and went back to her task.

"Oh my god, they're going to kill themselves on those stairs one day." Franky joked and Chelsea laughed, still slightly embarrassed but loving the fun she always had at her girlfriend's house.

\---

"Ok, so, I'm not sure about the religious nuts being responsible for this." Jane stated after she and Frost returned from interviewing a local organisation that had notoriously been harassing Merch and trying to get the club shut down.

"Yeah, they may be a bit crazy but I'm with you on that one." Frost agreed.

"You're with her on what one?" Maura asked as she clicked her way into the bullpen.

"Oh, uh, this religious organisation that sends out hate flyers. We don't think they're responsible, do we Jane?"

Jane missed the question because she was too busy checking her wife out. She wore her customary four inch heels, an olive green skirt, and dusk pink silk button up shirt that was open one button too many for the detective's liking. She couldn't help but stare until her view was impeded by arms crossing over that delectable chest.

Dark eyes snapped up to meet amused hazel. A perfectly sculpted eyebrow lifted but chose to ignore the ogling.

"I extracted the killer's DNA from the murder weapon." Maura informed the detectives and Jane got excited about a break in their case.

"Who is he?" She asked expectantly.

"Well, there was no match in CODIS... ...but it's not a he. It's a she." The ME revealed.

Jane was shocked. So was Frost. "The killer is a woman?!"

Maura nodded. "The deerskin fibres I lifted from the murder weapon were off the killer's seams were breached and DNA tests confirmed that the sweat was from a female."

"So, a female killed her and a male accomplice raped her." Jane stated matter-of-factly.

"No." The doctor disagreed. "Injuries are consistent with a nonbiological phallus-shaped object." She claimed without any discomfort.

Jane went a little red and looked around, only Frost was able to hear the exchange. "You mean a dildo?" She whispered out the side of her mouth.

Maura looked at her like she had three heads and frowned. "Yes, I—" She stopped her explanation and raised an eyebrow at her wife. "You ask that like you don't remember using one just last night." The honey blonde whispered back and Frost slapped the desk to contain his mirth.

Maura continued despite Jane's horrified look. "But did you know a 28,000-year-old stone phallus was recently found in a German cave? The Ice Age men were using it for knapping flints."

Jane took a deep breath. "Yeah and Ice Age women were using it for making sparks too." She adjusted her voice back to normal, feeling safe enough to proceed with the conversation and not be humiliated by her wife in the process. "Ok, so if she wasn't raped, it was probably not a hate crime. It wasn't a robbery. I'm beginning to think this was personal."

"Jane, check this out." Frost pointed to his computer screen and both women walked around to view it. "Katie was deleting her search history on her computer."

"Why? What was she hiding?"

"Have we checked the wife's alibi?" Korsak had entered the room and gathered around the monitor too.

"It's solid. Tracked all her calls to ER, 911. Alarm company confirms she activated her home alarm at 10:03 p.m. Didn't break the circuit again till 6:17am. She didn't do it." Jane informed him and eyed his sandwich, her stomach growling in response.

"How do you know?" Maura asked, not liking the speculation and the lack of solid evidence.

"Got Mel's scorecard. She's a hell of a bowler. She had a turkey." Korsak replied.

"Why would she have that?" The ME asked, confused.

"That's three strikes in a row, Maur." Jane responded softly, amused at her wife's literal mind.

Korsak chuckled. "Wish I could get her for our team, but you gotta be divorced."

"Can you try to restore all that history?" Jane asked Frost, expecting him to do some magic.

"Let's give it a shot." He wiggled his fingers and went to work on the keyboard. "Ok, sorted by popularity. She spent a lot of time on cupid4girlsdotcom and Lipstickdatedotcom. Both are online hookup services."

Jane frowned. Infidelity was no joking matter to her. It disgusted her but she couldn't let her personal opinion get in the way of her work. "Huh. So, Katie was cheating on her wife."

"Yeah. Somebody posted a message the day she was killed. 'Liked our time at the Merch. Wanna play again?' Our vic was having more than a drink." Frost declared as they all read the screen. "Why work so hard to get the right to marry and—"

"Do the same thing that straight couples do?" Jane finished the question for him with an amused look. He shook his head in apology. He didn't mean to differentiate between anyone.

Frost pulled Katie's photo up from one of the dating sites. An idea sprung to his mind. "Hey, Korsak… They kind of resemble each other… Jane and the victim."

Korsak looked at the screen and back at Jane. "You're right. It'd be a shame to waste an opportunity like that."

Jane understood what they were insinuating and looked at Maura. The honey blonde's face was full of concern. "No. No way." She said and waved them off.

"We could try and bait a trap. Post the same kind of message, attract the same kind of woman. Arrange dates, get DNA, see if we get a match?" Frost suggested. It was a viable option and could likely help their case immensely.

"How? We stick a fork in them?" Jane joked, not liking the idea of going undercover.

"Buy her a drink and take the glass. The club owner seemed like she'd cooperate. Jane could possibly wear a wire."

"No. No, I'm not gonna go undercover to troll for lesbian dates on the random chance that we catch a killer, no." Jane said with finality. "Besides, I'd be hopeless at it. I haven't had to do the whole dating thing in over twenty one years."

"I think she loves the idea." Korsak teased and Maura laughed too, knowing it was the opposite. She was beginning to see the benefit that it could be to the case though.

"Me too." The doctor agreed, teasing her wife. "Ouch!" She yelped when Jane pinched her on the ass as she walked past.

"Not doin' it." The detective called out over her shoulder as she left the room.

\---

"Maura, we need your help." Barry and Vince entered the doctor's office with a laptop.

The ME looked up and smiled happily at them, enjoying how familiar they were with her and were able to ask her for help.

"Of course. What do you need?"

"Uh, here. We need you to fill out this profile for Jane." Barry placed the laptop in front of her and looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, no, Jane will kill me." She shook her head, not wanting to be a part of the set up but she was already intrigued.

"C'mon, Maura! You know her better than anyone." Vince pleaded and batted his eyes comically.

She sighed and relented easily. "Alright. But she isn't going to be happy about it."

"We know." Barry grinned at her and leaned over her shoulder to look at what she was typing.

Maura frowned at the questions. "Why do they do this? These categories are such stereotypes." She complained and looked at Barry.

He nodded in agreement and read out the labels. "Femme, boy-next-door, sporty, or fine?"

"Jane's definitely fine." Maura commented suggestively and they all laughed. "Well, for the purposes of the ad we need to put whatever will draw the best response."

"Yeah, of course." Vince agreed.

"Ok, I just have to check a box. So, femme, butch, lipstick, sporty…"

"I've seen her break a chair over the head of a meth-crazed gangbanger." Barry piped in and Maura's eyes widened at the story. She had heard plenty of similar ones but they still shocked her every time.

"So, butch?" Vince stated and got a nod from Barry.

"Yeah. I mean, she took him out." He confirmed, happy with the label for her.

Maura shook her head in disagreement. "No… No, no, no, she is my wife, I'm not putting butch... If you peel back the layers, she's very fem—" She stopped herself from embarrassing her wife and checked the box that she thought would be best. "I'm putting sporty."

"Maybe just check what the victim checked, huh?" Vince suggested and they watched as Maura looked it up.

"Oh. Let's see. Lipstick lesbian. Um, no. She's definitely not that... I'm sticking with sporty." The ME stated as she checked that particular box and moved onto uploading a photo. "Here, I have this photo on my phone. It's gorgeous. The women wont be able to resist." Maura grinned confidently and the two men chuckled at her willingness. They didn't want to be around when Jane found out about their plan.

"I love undercover." Barry declared as they finished creating Jane's profile.


	9. Chapter 9

Maura sat on their bed later that night with her laptop open, checking Jane's profile.

"Hey babe, whatcha doin'?" Jane flopped down next to her and laid her head in her wife's lap, closing her eyes. She moaned in pleasure when strong fingers began massaging her scalp.

"Um, well, I'm looking at the dating profile that Barry and Vince set up for you… I typed." The doctor confessed with a lip between her teeth.

The detective's eyes flew open. "You what?!"

Maura stared down at her love and grinned. "If it wasn't for me, you'd be butch."

"You... You put my photo and profile on a gay dating website?" Jane asked incredulously and sat up, staring at the doctor like she was crazy.

"Honey, it's your best shot at getting DNA and breaking this case."

The taller woman stood up and began pacing, shaking her head. "No, it's our best shot. You're coming with me."

"No, I don't think so."

"Yes, Dr. Isles. I don't have time to train a female detective on how to collect and preserve DNA. You're going." Jane declared with finality.

Maura pointed to the screen. "Look, baby. All these women think you're hot." She said with amusement. "I can't say I blame them." She smiled proudly.

Jane just shook her head and chuckled. She leaned over Maura's shoulder to look at the screen. "Wow. Uh… One of these women could be Katie's killer."

"Not this one. Listen… She likes to hike, has season tickets to the Celtics."

Jane read more. "Front row! Oh, I might swap wives for that." She joked and kissed the blonde head.

The ME ignored her jibe. "I don't understand online dating. People reveal too much about themselves. 'I wanna connect with someone who can make me more of who I am. Who can be strong without needing me to be weak.'" She looked at Jane and they both burst out laughing.

"Well, first of all, can I just say I am so grateful that I never said any of that needy crap to you." Jane pondered her words for a moment. "Does that make me the guy?"

"That's a cliché, Jane. Why would that make you the guy? That's redundant."

"Because…"

"Because you're bossy?" Maura teased and Jane poked her tongue out at her.

"So are you."

"No, I'm not." The doctor defended herself.

"Yes, you are. You're just polite when bossing people around."

Maura didn't have much of a comeback. Her wife was right. "Well, you might be the guy because you leave your clothes lying everywhere, you wear your shoes on the bed, and you never brush your hair... and you just admitted that you're bossy." She stopped and realised how she sounded. "Ok yeah, I'm bossy but so are you."

"You put my picture and profile on a gay dating website and I'm bossy? After I said no, by the way." She sat back down next to Maura who had now crossed her legs and closed her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Meditating. It's too stressful to argue with you."

Jane laid her head back down in the doctor's lap and grinned when fingers automatically ran through her hair. "Well, just think… Because of you, by this time tomorrow, I could be on a date with a killer."

Maura opened her eyes, not liking how Jane had phrased her last sentence or the implication that she was intentionally sending her wife into something dangerous after just recovering from shooting herself. She leaned forward, unconsciously placing her chest in Jane's face, to open her laptop. "We should take a look and see if anybody else signed up to hook into you."

Jane groaned when the breasts touched her face and then disappeared just as quickly. "That's not how you say it, babe. It's 'hook up with you.'"

"Whatever." Maura didn't care about the semantics.

"Whatever? I'm the one hooking up." Jane peered up at the ME's face as she looked down at her with a worried frown.

"Pretending to." Maura corrected and lowered her face to kiss the detective.

"That's easy for you to say. I can't believe I'm actually hoping that the killer wants to meet me." Jane ended the discussion with another kiss and reached over to close the laptop.

\---

The next day the detectives stood in Maura's office discussing how the evening was going to play out. Jane had received several requests for dates and had accepted the ones that fit the killer's profile so far.

Maura entered the room carrying a few clothing options for Jane. The first was a skimpy black dress. She bit her lip and lifted it up for her detective to see. "This is appropriate for a date."

"What the? Where exactly am I going to hide the camera and the wire? I know! In my thong." Jane stared at her wife like she was crazy and the guys sniggered at the smart ass comment.

"You don't wear thongs— oh, sarcasm." Maura realised too late and glared at Jane. "Well, you could wear briefs."

"No Maura."

"Mark Twain said, 'The clothes make the man.'" The ME cited and lifted another outfit up to the long body, only to have it pushed away.

"He also said, 'Naked people have little to no influence.'"

Frost and Korsak chuckled but stayed right out of the banter that they were very much getting used to now.

"Darling, this is very serious." Maura pouted, upset that she wasn't getting her way.

"Maur, come on. It'll be fine. We're professionals. We know what we're doing. We've actually been undercover a few times before... so, let me handle this." The brunette pleaded, not wanting to be dressed for a stupid fake date. She grimaced when she noticed the look on Maura's face.

The doctor was now offended. "Ok. It's fine. You don't want my help. It's like trying to dress a squirmy six year old anyway." She put on a whiny voice. "Everything is too short, too itchy. 'I can't walk in that.'" She threw the dresses over her desk and crossed her arms over the fancy knitted top she was wearing.

"Baby, we all love the fact that you dress…" She looked her wife up and down and gave her a smug smile. "…like you're about to strut down a Paris runway. It's a part of who you are."

"It's endearing." Frost chimed in.

"Sexy." Korsak added and received three raised eyebrows.

"It's fashionable." Jane added and cringed when she realised she had said the wrong thing. She knew Maura's philosophy on clothing and the finer things in life.

Maura's hands were already on her hips. "Oh, so that's what you think? You think this is all about fashion for me?"

Jane groaned and almost had a tantrum. She glanced across at the guys who were trying to hide their smirks at the impending lecture. "This is gonna be good." She commented to them sarcastically and took a deep breath, facing the doctor again. "What's it about then?"

Maura's tone became nostalgic as she spoke. "I used to sit at the Musée d'Orsay for hours and just stare at it. You know what I mean?"

Jane rolled her eyes. Although she had been there several times with her wife, she couldn't help the smart ass remark. "Yes, the Rizzoli family vacations there every summer."

"Have you ever tried to appreciate Euler's number e? The beautiful equation that connects three constants of mathematics?"

"Yeah, I tried it once." Jane was on a roll and both men chuckled.

"I am in awe of what human beings can do. I am in awe of the hand-knit channel stitching on this sweater." She ran her hands over her chest, not meaning to be sexy but the three detectives' eyes followed her hands. She bent over to take off her black heel. "I am in awe of the artisan who moulded and shaped this shoe."

"Ok babe, we get it. I know it's not just about fashion but this is about catching a killer, ok?" Jane moved forward and rubbed up and down the upset woman's shoulders. "I'll wear something nice but practical, just in case. I gotta wear a wire and need something to cover all that… I'll wear my grey suit and a navy shirt, k?" Maura nodded and Jane leaned in to place a kiss on her wife's forehead. "We're gonna go. I'll meet you there at 8, ok?"

"Ok. I love you." Maura tilted her head and received a quick kiss to the lips.

"Love you too, baby."

\---

Frost and Korsak waited in the van whilst Jane went inside to wire up.

"Hey, uh, I don't think I got your name?" She greeted the owner that she had met a few days ago.

The woman smiled and held out her hand to the attractive brunette. "Lisa."

"Hi Lisa, I'm Jane." The detective glanced around the room and noted there weren't many patrons yet. She lifted her shirt slightly to place the wire under it and exposed her very toned abdominal muscles in the process.

"There's a backroom that way." The bleached blonde suggested, checking out Jane's body.

The detective shook her head, almost done. "I can do it in no time. Alright if I do it right here? Yeah?"

Lisa smirked at the brunette. "Guys must eat you up."

"Why do you say that?" The detective finished placing the earpiece inside of her ear, suppressing a grin at how funny it was that the lesbian bar owner had assumed she was straight.

"Because you're just like them. You're beautiful, full of dominant energy. If you ever feel like getting adventurous—" Lisa suggested.

"I'll give you a call." Jane finished for her and moved away to do a hearing check. "You guys hear me?" She asked Frost and Korsak.

"Loud and clear, Janie. Careful of Lisa, she's pretty fuckin' forward!" Frost laughed into the earpiece and Jane groaned.

"Is Maura here yet?"

"Yeah, she just arrived and is changing in the back room."

"Ok, I'll— fuuck." She exhaled, trying to calm herself.

"What is it, Jane? Oh wow." Frost exclaimed as Maura came into view on the surveillance camera.

"Wow. Dr. Isles is... Not very doctorly. At all." Korsak claimed and watched as Jane moved to meet Maura halfway across the room, completely flustered over her attire. The honey blonde wore a very short dress with a push-up bodice that amplified the doctor's already ample breasts.

"You two better keep your fuckin' eyes off my wife's tits." Jane growled and Frost and Korsak bellowed with laughter in response to her abrupt command.

Maura smiled at Jane as she approached her. "Your table is ready, miss."

"Baby, you can't wear— Here, put this on." Jane tried to cover Maura's half-naked chest with her jacket and looked around at the other club goers that were staring at the display of flesh.

The ME stopped her and shrugged away from the coverage. "No, darling! I'm undercover… Follow me." She walked towards a table for two and Jane sat down.

"Oh, my God." The detective put her head in her hands, unable to argue for fear that it would blow her cover.

"I'll be right back with your drink." Maura politely offered, loving playing a role that was so different from her usual one. "Oh, honey take off your rings." Jane shook her head. "Jane! You can't wear wedding rings when you're on a date!"

"Fuck… Fine." She conceded and slipped them off, handing them to Maura.

"I'll get that drink for you now."

Jane took a deep breath. "Mmhmm. Thank you." She gritted out. Her face shifted quickly when a woman approached her.

Korsak sounded in her ear. "Here she goes. First date."

The woman sitting in front of Jane was boring her but she was doing her best to stay engaged, or at least pretend to be.

"So, I finally work up the nerve, you know, and call them. I get the machine. So I go, 'Mom, Dad… I'm gay.' How'd you do it?" The woman asked as she looked expectantly at the beautiful woman sitting across from her.

Jane hadn't rehearsed this part. "Uh… Well, I…"

Maura was suddenly beside her, smiling brightly, and enjoying her evening a little too much. "Ladies, may I get you something else to drink?"

Jane turned towards the familiar voice and internally groaned when her eyes were level with the doctor's cleavage. She swallowed hard and looked up into amused hazel. "No, we're good." She fought to look back down. So did her 'date'.

Maura leaned over to retrieve the other woman's glass. "Can I take that for you?" She left them to their conversation and went behind the bar to store the glass.

Several more 'dates' and Jane was getting frustrated but didn't waiver in her front.

"Rizzoli's good at this." Korsak commented when the next woman left the table and Jane was on her own for a moment.

"At what, being a lesbian?" Frost asked, thinking his question was funny.

"Yeah. No." The older detective got confused and didn't want to put his foot in it.

"Shut up, I'm listening." Jane complained and watched as her wife approached her again.

"Stop staring at my breasts, Jane. It's very distracting." Maura reprimanded and picked up an empty glass from the table.

Frost and Korsak almost choked in laughter that only got louder at Jane's response.

"Well, how do you think I feel?" The brunette smirked. "I'm trying to make these women think I'm actually interested and you keep coming over with those in my face." She chuckled at the eye roll she received.

"Keep it up, Rizzoli, and we'll see if you actually get to see them again this week." Maura retorted close to her ear and sashayed her way back to the bar.

The guys 'ooohed' in a mock sympathy for Jane and kept laughing. Jane shushed them and smiled at the attractive woman that approached her table.

The woman sat down without being invited to. "I like tall brunettes." She stated boldly.

The detective smiled easily. "I'm Jane."

"I know. I saw your profile. I'm Rita."

Frost spoke up in Jane's ear. "She's creeping me out."

Rita leaned forward and spoke softly to Jane. "This is gonna freak you out but you kind of look like that girl who was killed. Katie somebody? You see her picture in the paper?"

Jane leaned forward, very interested in what the woman was sharing. "Yeah. Yeah, it's so scary, isn't it? That it could have been any of us."

"Wanna hear the weirdest part?" She continued at Jane's nod. I think I was her last date." Rita picked up her glass of water and took a sip.

"Really? Did you tell the police?"

"No. No, I don't know anything. We chatted online, met up here. We really hit it off. Then I saw her ring. I don't hook up with married women." Rita sat back and folded her arms.

"What was she like?"

"I really liked her. She shouldn't have lied about being married. If she hadn't... she might still be alive."

Jane had enough after that last 'date' and exited the side door of the club to get some fresh air. "Guys, I'm done in there. Let's pack up and we'll collect all of the glasses as soon as the last person leaves."

"Yeah, sounds good, Janie." Korsak agreed.

"Jane?" Maura stepped outside and stopped, taking a step backward at the upset look Jane gave her. "What- what's wrong, baby?"

"What's wrong?" Jane advanced on her until she had nowhere else to go. "You with your rack out for all of the lesbians in Boston to drool over is what's wrong!" The detective pushed Maura up against the wall with a mischievous grin.

The ME grinned back and wrapped her arms around Jane's shoulders and pressed her chest into her wife's. "You enjoyed it." She teased and kissed along the strong jaw.

"Of course I did but you're not wearing that in public again." Jane claimed soft lips and worked her way down to nuzzle her wife's neck. One hand found purchase on the doctor's backside, under the short dress, and the other cupped a partially bare breast. The actions elicited a moan from the smaller woman.

"Are you two doin' it outside?!" Korsak asked, feeling flushed at the sounds from the two women surrounding the inside of the van.

"Don't listen, Jane. You can bang your wife wherever you like. We're good here." Frost proclaimed, happy to keep on listening.

Jane's hands dropped away from Maura and she groaned in frustration.

"Darling?"

Jane pulled at the wire connection on her hip. She couldn't believe she had forgotten about it.

Maura bit her lip and held in a chuckle when she realised that the guys had heard their very unprofessional exchange.

\---

The next morning, Maura visited the bullpen with the results from the night before. She sat on the edge of Jane's desk and handed her a folder and the bad news that none of the dates' DNA matched the DNA that had been found on the 2-by-4.

Frost handed Jane some information. "CSRU went through Katie's papers. Look at this. Our vic inherited half a million dollars while she was still single. She keeps it in the event of a divorce, but if she dies... It all goes to the grieving widow."

"Hell of a consolation prize. Widow's got motive." She sighed in frustration.

"Yeah, but she's got a titanium alibi. She can prove she was bowling."

Maura joined the conversation. "You know, Katie was very careful about controlling her diabetes. I counted nearly 100 needle sticks. It doesn't make sense that she wouldn't know she needed insulin."

Jane looked at her curiously, liking where her thinking was going. "Maybe she did. Was the pump working?"

"It was so compromised, I couldn't tell."

Jane raised a finger in the air with an idea. "What if—"

Maura cut her off. "You know I don't like sentences that begin with 'What if.'"

The detective rolled her eyes. "Let's assume—"

"Why is that better?"

Frost chuckled at the comment. Maura really knew how to give Jane a run for her money. He enjoyed the exchange immensely.

"Maur!" Jane glared at the smaller woman and continued. "So, Katie tested herself, her numbers were high, she gave herself some insulin... Or what she thought was insulin…"

"No, I tested the pump. Pure insulin. Her tox screen came back negative. No signs of poisons in Katie's body. Unless there was something that couldn't be detected in her bloodstream."

Frost piped in with his own thoughts. "If somebody put something in the pump... There should be fingerprints on it."

Jane nodded. "It's clean. Why aren't Katie's prints on it at least?"

"Someone might have attached it to her body and wiped it clean." The ME deducted, putting it all together.

"That's good, babe." Jane smiled proudly at her wife. "All right, so Katie's regular insulin pump was switched to one full of poison. She thinks she's giving herself insulin. She's actually killing herself. Who had access to Katie?"

"Mel, the wife, who was at home when Katie was being beaten." Frost answered.

"She had an accomplice." Maura suggested, excited to be a part of working everything out.

"Mmhmm. Smart killer, because it's impossible to prove without evidence. Which we don't have." Jane sighed again.

"Yet." Frost had an idea.

\---

Jane entered the bar again, approaching Lisa confidently, and was welcomed with a flirtatious grin.

"Hey, uh, I just wanted to ask you a few more questions."

"Sure, gorgeous. Go ahead." The blonde stood close to the detective, picking up a level of interest from her.

"Katie was here with women, so obviously she was cheating… Did you know her wife, Mel?"

Lisa smirked. "I run a bar, not a church. You know that, right?"

Jane moved a little closer and placed her hand on the bar, next to the woman's waist. "Come on. Did Katie ever mention anything like she thought Mel was seeing someone?"

The owner clammed up suddenly. "No, she never did. Sorry."

"Hmm, alright, I'm done here then. Thanks for your time." Jane tried to get her back into flirting mode. "Well... You have my number."

Lisa seemed interested again. "Yeah, I do."

Unwilling to let go of her gut feeling and weighing up her wife's reaction to what she was about to do, Jane threw caution to the wind. She stepped into the woman's space, feeling a little sick to her stomach. "Uh, you know, you said if I was ever feeling adventurous…" She let the comment drift off, suggestively.

"Yeah?" The owner placed her hands on Jane's hips.

"Yeah." The detective rasped and stalled the nervous lump in her throat when the woman moved in close to kiss her neck.

\---

Fifteen minutes later, Jane stomped into the crime lab and up to Maura.

"I need you to swab my neck for DNA." She demanded, holding her hair away from her skin.

The ME raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not even going to ask why." She did what was requested and watched Jane scurry away to her private bathroom to clean herself up.

\---

"Jane Rizzoli-Isles!" Maura's upset voice echoed inside the bullpen as she entered.

Frost sniggered at Jane's scared face. The detective looked around and was relieved to see that no one else was there. Her eyes widened as the doctor advanced on her and thrust a piece of paper in her face.

"You let that- that bar owner—"

"Oh, whoa babe." Jane raised her hands in a defensive position and took the paper, reading it. "I knew it! I had a gut feeling she was involved. I swear, I only let her lick my ne—"

"Oh fuck, Jane!" Frost laughed as he realised what she had done.

"Going on dates for the case is one thing but letting another woman—" Maura huffed as Jane grasped her arm and practically dragged her out of the room.

"Shh, Maur… I'm sorry, ok. It was nasty and I will never do it again." Jane rubbed at her neck in discomfort, remembering how disgusted she felt.

The ME seemed appeased by this. "Why didn't you tell me?!" She folded her arms and tapped her heeled foot in impatience.

"It was a spur of the moment decision and I went to see you right after to swab me and you said you didn't wanna know!" Jane placed her hands on her wife's hips. "It was really fucking awful. I'm sorry, sweetheart." She leaned in to hug the smaller woman and smiled when arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"You can make it up to me by taking me out for an expensive dinner as soon as this case is closed." Maura kissed the pouting lips.

"Should be within the next few hours with this new evidence." Jane whispered against her lips, giving her another kiss.

The couple pulled apart quickly when they heard footsteps in the hallway, and went their separate ways.

\---

Jane approached Lisa for the final time, her voice fierce as she presented her with the facts.

"You have 10 seconds. There is a bus coming at you. You can either be on it or under it." She gave her the ultimatum.

\---

Mel sat across from her lover and looked at her with a worried frown.

"That cop is fishing." Lisa shared, concerned about their plan.

"Stay strong."

"Yeah, I had to stand there and watch Katie die, you know."

Mel got off her seat and knelt in front of the bar owner, patting her leg soothingly. "Hey. Shh, shh. It's ok."

"You weren't there. She was so sick. What did you put in that pump?"

"Fentanyl. It can't be detected. Mixed it with water, swapped out the pumps." Mel confessed.

"What if we screwed up?" The blonde stood up and paced.

"We didn't. Look, we get the money in 90 days."

"What about the fingerprints?" Lisa asked, concerned about details that she didn't think about before.

"You left prints?"

"No, that's what I'm worried about. Katie's prints should have been on the pump, but there were no prints."

"Wait, how do you know that?" Mel stood up and stared at her and then her eyes widened as Jane and Frost stepped out into plain sight with their badges and handcuffs.

"Because she decided to get on the bus… Arms behind your back." Jane instructed as they cuffed Mel.

Frost shook his head at the woman. "Same old story, kills the wife for the money."

Mel stared vehemently at her lover. "How could you do this?"

The bar owner hung her head, unable to look at her as Frost took her outside.

"This is as adventurous as I get." Jane claimed and cuffed Lisa. "I'm not a cheater." She spat out, disgusted at the whole case and relieved it was finally over.

\---

The three detectives and the ME settled into their usual booth at the Dirty Robber to celebrate the close of the case.

Jane wrapped an arm around her wife's shoulders and sipped her beer. "Just one drink tonight, guys."

"Oh, booo!" Frost teased.

"Sorry, I have a hot date." She leaned over and kissed Maura on the cheek.

"Aww, you guys are disgusting, you know that, right?" Korsak joked and gave them a big smile.

"Yep." Jane nodded in agreement but the blonde was confused.

"I don't understand. Why are we disgusting?"

"Because you're so in love!" Frost claimed and batted his eyelashes.

There was still a confused look on the ME's face. "Oh… I still don't get it but I'm getting dinner at Menton tonight so I don't care." She smiled and kissed Jane.

"Pshh, what did you do, Jane?!" Korsak asked, knowing that a dinner at Menton was going to set her back at least $200.

"She let that bar owner lick her neck to get evidence." Maura answered with disdain.

"Ewww." Frost pulled a disgusted face and Korsak laughed heartily.

"Please, don't remind me." Jane grimaced and swiped her neck at the memory of it.

"That's commitment to the case! Nice work, Janie." Korsak declared.

The couple finished their drinks and got up to leave, hand-in-hand. They ignored the catcalls from Korsak and Frost, and Jane smirked when she got a mixed look of shock, contempt, and a hint of lust from Darren Crowe and his partner as they walked into the bar.

The detective decided she would deal with that one tomorrow. Right now, she had an expensive date to take her beautiful wife on.


	10. Chapter 10

"HOYT! DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!"

"Maura!" Jane sat up abruptly, startled awake by her very vivid and terrifying nightmare. It took her a moment to realise where she was.

"Ma? Mama, are you ok?" Alexis questioned, concerned but feeling too weak to do anything but look at her mother on the other side of the living room.

"Uh, yeah… I think so." Jane croaked out and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Where's Mom?" She felt anxious and needed to see that her wife was ok.

"I dunno." Lexi shrugged her shoulders and went back to watching the tv, her mother's abrupt awakening unsettling her.

The sound of Maura's heels clicking closer created comfort in the brunettes.

"Hi my sweethearts. Are you feeling any better? Oh Jane, honey, you're sweating." Maura dashed over to her and placed her hand on her head. Jane revelled in the touch, happy to have the contact after such an awful dream.

"Ma had a nightmare about you again." Alexis revealed, not having any reservations about sharing.

Jane looked sheepishly up at Maura but was hurt at Lexi's unmistakable tattling.

"Baby, you had a nightmare?" The ME knelt down and placed her hand on Jane's cheek, concerned. "This case is getting to you, isn't it? You should probably assign it to someone else. I don't think you're well enough to work." Maura fussed and Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Jesus, Mom. She's a grown adult. Leave her alone." She angrily declared. Her head dropped back onto her pillow in agony.

Maura looked at her daughter, upset at the outburst.

"Lex, don't be nasty." Jane reprimanded and the fifteen year old looked away guiltily.

"Sorry, Mom." She sighed and changed the channel, trying to distract herself from her building anger.

"It's ok, darling. I only have one autopsy today and then I'll be home to look after you both." Maura ran her hand through the dark curls so much like Jane's and rushed off to work, eager to get home again.

\---

"Can you try not to fall asleep in this one? You snore." Alexis accused testily.

"Sorry Lex. My nose is blocked, just like yours." Jane answered back sarcastically and threw another tissue on the ground.

"Eww guys! You could at least throw your tissues out." Franky exclaimed, disgusted at the mess that her mother and sister had created. "What are you watching?"

"Avengers: Infinity War." Lexi answered tonelessly.

"Hey, Chelsea." Jane greeted her daughter's girlfriend weakly.

"Hi, Jane." The young woman replied with sympathy. "You guys don't look so great."

"I feel like death warmed up." Jane groaned.

"Shhh." Alexis hushed them all, annoyed that she couldn't hear the movie.

"Lex, don't be a cow!" Franky frowned at her grumpy sister.

"Shut it, Francesca."

"Alexis!" Jane intervened, making it worse.

"Seriously! You all need to shut the hell up!" The teenager growled but stopped herself when the front door opened.

"Hello, my darlings!" Maura greeted from the entryway, oblivious to the turmoil she was about to walk into. She placed her purse and keys on the dining table and entered the living room. She was pleasantly surprised to see her whole family plus Chelsea present.

"Mommy! Shoot me please?!" Alexis groaned from her position on the couch.

"Shoot me too." Jane whined from the other couch.

Maura grimaced as she entered the living room and surveyed the pathetic scene.

Jane and Alexis were sprawled out with a pillow and blanket each, covered in used tissues, and watching some action film on Netflix.

Franky and Chelsea were sitting on the floor, keeping their distance from the sick family members.

"What do you need, Lexi?" The doctor asked her daughter and let her hand rest on her forehead. "You feel a bit warm."

"Can I please have a drink?"

"Of course, honey. I'll get you some Tylenol too." Maura walked over to Jane and ran her hand through dark curls, earning an appreciative groan. "What will help you to feel better, my love?" She leaned over and placed a kiss to her brow.

The detective closed her eyes and hummed softly in pleasure. "Mmm. Some ginger ale and you, naked."

"You're a pig!" Alexis snapped and Franky rolled her eyes while Chelsea just chuckled, used to Jane's humour. Both were shocked at Lexi's outburst.

"Lex, don't call Mama names." The doctor chided gently, not realising the seriousness underlying the teen's accusation. She leaned over Jane again. "Sorry darling, but there will be no sexy times until you're all better." Maura gave the brunette another kiss on her head and went to retrieve the requested items.

"Ma, are you working this weekend?" Franky asked, knowing that even though her mother was sick, it wouldn't stop her from working if she was needed.

"I have a case at the moment so, yeah. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow so I can go in."

"Jane, you're not going into work." Maura stated worriedly. She gave Alexis her drink and medication, and sat down on the small portion of the couch, next to Jane's side.

The detective rolled her body to accommodate her wife and wrapped an arm around her waist as she curled herself around the smaller woman, laying her head on her knee.

"I have to, babe. I can't leave the guys to deal with it alone."

Alexis watched as her Mom ran her hands through her Ma's hair and was looking at her with more concern than what she believed was warranted.

"Can't you just take the weekend off for once?" Alexis barked, still not over their dispute from earlier. "You're stressing Mom out! Fuck." The teenager threw her blanket off and stormed out of the room.

Everyone just sat in surprise for a moment before Maura turned to Jane. "What's wrong with Lexi?" She whispered, upset at her daughter's abrupt departure and language.

"I think she's pissed at Ma." Franky offered, also quite upset at her sister's unusual behaviour. She had seen her withdraw more and more since their mother had shot herself.

"Yeah, I think that's obvious." Jane retorted back sarcastically.

"Jane, Franky's just trying to help. Don't snap at her, honey." Maura begged softly.

"Sorry." The brunette grumbled.

"Ma, she's still upset over the shooting and… probably over Hoyt." Their eldest child revealed.

Both women looked at Franky, shocked to be hearing this news.

"Hoyt?" Jane glanced up at Maura's throat and closed her eyes, remembering her nightmare from earlier that morning. "Jesus." She had a realisation.

"What is it, Jane?" Maura asked, not grasping what was going on.

"She's- I need to talk to her." The detective moved to get up but was stopped by a firm hand to her shoulder.

"Wait, love. She's too upset to listen right now. Help me to understand what's going on?" Maura looked across to Franky for clarification.

"Babe, we should've sent her to a psychologist."

"You don't think she's handling the events well from earlier this year or recently?" Maura asked, slowly understanding what Jane and Franky were alluding to.

"She's not handling any of them at all." Franky responded. "If Mama is still having nightmares, then don't you think your fifteen year old is still having them? I mean, gosh, I still have them and Lex and I weren't even there but- we saw the news. We saw some of the photos of you, Mom."

"Oh god!" Maura gasped and her hand went to her mouth. "I- Jane, did you know this?" She got up and walked out to the kitchen to make herself a tea. She needed to calm down.

"Franky, you shouldn't have said that." Jane warned, swinging her legs over the side of the couch.

"Why? So you can go on like it wasn't a big deal? We had to move across the country because of it." There was no heat in Franky's words. She wasn't angry and she believed her parents had managed their care almost perfectly. Somehow though, Alexis had learned to shut down and it was now starting to leak out in an ugly way.

"Sweetheart, I've never pretended like it wasn't a big deal. Jesus, I-we almost lost your Mom. It would've killed me." Jane whispered out emotionally, not wanting her sensitive wife to overhear.

"I know, Ma. It would've killed all of us but I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that if you aren't dealing well with it, then why would Lexi be?"

"Fuck, you're right." Jane put her head in her hands. "I'll wait until she's calmed down and talk with her." She looked up at her wise seventeen year old. "How about you? Are you ok?"

Franky smiled at her Mama. "I'm fine, Ma. Promise… I uh, went to see a psychologist in San Francisco. She helped me through heaps."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?!" Jane asked desperately, wishing her daughters had been more open about their struggles.

Franky shuffled closer, also not wanting her Mom to hear. "You were a mess, Ma."

"That doesn't mean I wasn't available to you guys." She was devastated by this revelation. She had been too self-absorbed in her own grief to realise her own children were suffering just as badly.

"Ma, it's ok. No one blames you."

"Pfft. Lexi seems to be."

"She was doing ok. I think the recent stress on Mom from your shooting really freaked her out. You know that Mom is our Achilles heel and Lexi is just like you." She chuckled. It was true. Maura was their weakness. She never did wrong by them and cared for them unconditionally. She was the sweetest, kindest woman any of them had ever known. How could they not adore her?

"Yeah, I get it."

"What do you get, my love?" Maura came back into the room with her second cup of tea, looking a lot calmer. She sat down next to Jane and rubbed the taller woman's back affectionately.

"That you are my whole world and for a while there I forgot that you're the girls' whole world too."

The sentimental words touched Maura deeply and she teared up. "You three are my everything, Jane."

"It will be ok, Mom." Franky reached over and placed her hand on her mother's thigh. "Lex and Mama just need to have a good old-fashioned Italian shouting match and it will all be over!"

Chelsea giggled, making a noise for the first time since the whole conversation had started.

"Ok. I'm gonna go up and see her." Jane kissed the golden head and smiled gratefully at her eldest daughter. "Thanks sweetie. Are you sure you're only seventeen?" She joked and ruffled her hair.

"Hey! I'm actually seventeen and a half! Thank you very much." She responded indignantly and watched her Mama retreat upstairs.

After waiting patiently for at least fifteen minutes, the three remaining women realised that the old-fashioned Italian shouting match wasn't going to be happening today.

\---

"Ma! Mom! I have two offer letters!" The tall teenager burst through the front door yelling excitedly.

Jane was the only one downstairs and her eyes bugged out of her head. "Two?!" She asked proudly.

"Yes! Look." Franky thrust the opened letters at her mother, elated about both.

The detective took both pieces of paper and read over them. "Stanford and Harvard? Holy shit! You are definitely your Mom's daughter! Congratulations, bub." Jane embraced her eldest child tightly, beyond proud.

"Thanks Ma. I need to work out which one I'm going to accept." The dark haired young woman sighed and looked to her mother for advice. "What do you think?"

"Uh…" Jane placed the letters on the kitchen bench and tried to think of what Maura would say. Something clever and unemotional, wanting Franky to choose without any guilt or worries hanging over her head. The detective admitted to herself that she just wasn't that good of a person. "Well, I'd prefer if you were close to home and Harvard is the second best school in the US."

"Yeah, I know. I really love Boston too and I don't want to be far from you and Mom but… Stanford has one of the best Psychology programs in the world and it is a better looking program than Harvard." Franky groaned and dropped her head on the bench.

"You'll figure it out, kiddo… Mom's upstairs in the yoga room. I bet she wouldn't mind the interruption for this." Jane encouraged and Franky ran up the stairs two at a time.

The lanky teen knocked once and heard her mother's soft welcome.

"Hey, Mom." Franky eyed her mother. She rarely got to see her in work out gear because she usually ran or did her yoga routine early in the morning. She was in fantastic shape and Franky felt guilty at how slack she was about her fitness. She had thankfully inherited a fast metabolism and never worried about putting on weight.

"Hi darling." Maura breathed out softly as she lowered her upper body to the mat as she finished.

"Sorry to interrupt you but umm- I wanted to show you my acceptance letters!"

Maura's face lit up and she stood to look at the letters her daughter was holding. "Where to?! Harvard and Stanford! Oh my gosh, sweetie! I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom." Franky blushed at the attention. Her mother's opinion meant so much to her.

"Do you have any idea which one you'll choose yet?" Maura asked excitedly, not indicating any preference at all. She would be genuinely happy with whatever her daughter chose.

"I'm thinking Stanford." Franky answered honestly.

The doctor didn't bat an eye at the information. Instead, she seemed to support it. "Stanford is a brilliant research school and has one of the best Psychology programs in the world."

"Yeah, that's my reason for wanting to go there but I haven't made a decision yet."

"It's a huge decision, sweetie. You have a few weeks before you need to make it. Take the time you need." Maura looked up into the dark eyes that were so much like Jane's. "God, you look more like your mother every day." She reached her hand out to run it over Franky's face tenderly.

"You guys definitely picked your donor well."

Maura smiled at her affectionately and they both exited the yoga room. "I'm going to have a shower. Can you please tell Mama that—"

"Um, no. I'm not passing on a message about you being in the shower!" Franky protested and gently shoved her Mom in a teasing manner.

The ME rolled her eyes. "You really are like your mother, mind in the gutter 90% of the time!" She teased back. "I need her to come upstairs and fix the shower head before I turn it on."

Alexis came out of her room just in time to hear the comment. "Mom, how many times do we have to tell you to not use your code talk for sex around us?!" The fifteen year old teased.

The two young women burst out in laughter and Maura ignored them completely, walking into her room. "Just tell your mother I need her up here… Now!"

The laughter got louder and Maura chuckled to herself, grateful for her girls' sense of humour.

\---

"Mmm, so good baby." Maura rocked herself on the fingers inside of her and leaned over her wife to claim her lips again.

"Ohh yeah, Maur. Ohhh damn. So fucking gooood." Jane panted as the doctor's fingers ran the length of her and teased her clit expertly. She was so close already.

"Please, Jane. Oh god. I need— Ohh."

"What do you need, babe?" The detective's hips rolled more quickly, seeking relief.

"Ohhh, I need— to come. Mmmm." Maura moaned as she did exactly that.

Jane looked up at her wife, loving the look of rapture on her face as she came undone because of her. It caused her belly to coil and she climaxed with her. She stared into the beautiful hazel eyes, very aware that she was the only one that could do this to her. The only one who had touched Maura this way in twenty one years. It never got tiresome.

Maura stared at Jane, unknowingly having similar thoughts. She leaned over to kiss her again and manoeuvred herself off the long fingers with a groan, and laid alongside the strong body.

Jane wrapped her up tightly and the doctor kissed her sweaty neck. "I love you so much." Maura whispered into Jane's ear and lifted herself up on one elbow, kissing along the strong jawline.

"Mmm, I love you too, baby." The brunette tilted her head slightly and met Maura's lips again.

After a few more minutes of exchanging soft kisses, the couple settled into their favourite sleeping position, Jane spooned up behind Maura with an arm wrapped tightly around the smaller woman's waist.

Maura was already asleep and Jane had just begun to nod off when a knock sounded on their door.

"Yeah?" Jane croaked out and made sure their blankets were covering both of them as she called out as softly as she could, not wanting Maura to stir.

Franky and Lexi quietly entered the room holding hands and she looked up into their upset eyes. When she met Franky's eyes, she realised her eldest daughter had been crying. "Bub, what's wrong?"

The girls sat on the edge of the bed and Alexis spoke. "Chelsea broke up with Franky."

Franky just hung her head, broken-hearted.

"What? Why?!" Jane frowned. She thought the young woman had been head over heels for her daughter.

"Coz I- I told her-" Franky sniffed and tried not to cry again. "I told her I'm going- to Stanford."

Jane's heart sank for two reasons. Firstly, she couldn't stand that her daughter was going through her first broken heart and secondly, she really didn't want Franky to move to the other side of the country. "Aww, honey." Jane shifted slightly, unwrapping her arm from Maura, to reach out for Franky's hand.

The movement caused Maura to stir and groan in displeasure. She opened her eyes to her two girls sitting on the bed. "What's going on?" She asked sleepily.

Franky practically threw herself next to the smaller woman. "Mommy!" She sobbed and Maura's arms wrapped around her automatically. "Chels-ea- dumped me!"

"Oh sweetheart, why?!"

"Coz- I'm mov-ving." Franky got out between sobs.

"Shh darling, it will be ok." The doctor rubbed her daughter's back as she cried. Jane's arm came to wrap around both of them and they stayed like that until Franky calmed back down.

"She might change her mind, sweetie. Give it a few days." Jane suggested and Franky nodded as she sat up and wiped her eyes.

\---

Over the following week, Jane, Maura, and Alexis walked on eggshells around Franky. The poor young woman was a miserable mess. She was barely eating or sleeping and Maura was starting to get very worried.

"Francesca, your mother and I just got a call." The ME informed her eldest child who was sitting at the kitchen bench pushing her cereal around in her bowl.

"K." Franky answered flatly, not looking up.

Maura scrutinised her daughter. The tall girl wore the oldest, baggiest sweatpants she had ever seen. Her t-shirt was a tattered mess. She looked like she hadn't brushed her hair for days. The doctor decided enough was enough.

"Darling, you need to go shower and change." She started softly.

Franky looked to her perfectly put together parent and raised an eyebrow at her in question. "Why?"

Maura took a step closer and gestured to her daughter's clothing. "Well, for starters, you smell of body odour. You also have much nicer clothing than these rags you are wearing!" She exclaimed, trying not to allow her distaste to come through in her tone but her daughter's recent lack of care for herself was upsetting.

"Oh babe, leave her alone. She's brooding." Jane entered the kitchen, dressed in her work suit. She grabbed a 'to go' cup for her coffee and began making herself a drink.

Alexis, a step behind her Ma, just chuckled to herself. She proceeded to eavesdrop on the conversation as she made herself some breakfast.

"That's no reason to let oneself go!" The doctor addressed her wife with frustration, as though Franky wasn't even present.

The detective didn't bat an eye at the mini outburst. She actually smiled as she recalled a particular memory. It wasn't a fond one but it had taught her a lot about herself. "Remember that time you dumped me?" Jane asked the honey blonde.

Franky's head shot up in interest.

Maura frowned at the memory. It was one of the most painful decisions she had ever made. "Yes, but that was—"

Lexi spun around with wide eyes. "Whoa, wait! Mom, you dumped Mama?!"

"I- yes sweetheart but—"

"I was worse than Franky!" Jane declared with a chuckle. She had been a pathetic mess.

"That was a completely different scenario!" Maura finally got out.

"What happened?" Franky asked, too fascinated in the story to let it go.

The ME gestured to her wife to carry on with the tale since she had brought it up.

"Oh, um… Well, I kinda went-"

"Kinda?" Maura mimicked, questioning the language being used.

"Ok, settle down babe… I went undercover for narcotics as a hooker and-"

Franky and Lexi both howled with laughter and Maura couldn't help but giggle at the memory.

"Hey! I'll have you know I was just like Julia Roberts in 'Pretty Woman'."

This made the other three women laugh even harder.

"Fine, I won't tell you the rest." The brunette huffed indignantly.

Maura sidled up to the taller woman and wrapped her arms around the slim waist. "Aw, I'm sorry, love. You were a very sexy hooker… Please finish the story?"

Jane shook her head at her still chuckling teens and looked down at her wife. She placed a quick kiss on her lips, just because she could, and continued. "So, I was only like, what? 21?" She looked to the doctor for help.

"Yes. We weren't engaged yet but had been together for ten months."

"Now, you gotta remember that your mother and I went weeks without seeing each other coz she was studying in Boston and I was workin' in New York."

"That hardly justifies your decision to-"

Jane cut Maura off. "I know, baby. Just let me tell the story and then you can have your say." She stated lightheartedly. She didn't want to get into a fight about what had almost cost her the woman she loved. "So, I'm undercover out in New York, not far from the station, picking this guy up that we suspected was a part of a huge drug ring. Then this hot car pulls up just next to us but I didn't realise until it was too late. Your Mom got out, completely shocked at what she was seeing coz, of course, idiot me forgot to tell her I got a gig doin' undercover."

"Oh no, Ma!" Alexis exclaimed, seeing where the story was going.

"Oh yeah, kiddo… So, I'm all over this dirtbag, finally getting a confession from him, and your Mom just stood there until I looked up. I- god, that look on her face. I swore I would never ever cause her to look like that at me ever again. She was so hurt." Jane looked into the hazel eyes that stared back at her with so much affection. "Anyway, she slapped me and then dumped me… It made me angry enough to knock the guy out when he resisted arrest."

"You slapped Ma?!" Both girls were completely shocked to hear that their peaceful mother had resorted to violence.

Maura nodded and bit her lip at the memory. She hated herself for doing that to Jane. The doctor placed her hand against her wife's cheek and kissed it tenderly.

"I can't believe we never knew this!" Alexis exclaimed almost excitedly.

"So that's when you became a pathetic loser, moping around the house?" Franky asked, her voice flat again at the reminder of why they were telling the story in the first place.

"Uh yeah. I mean, I was more than a pathetic loser. I didn't go into work, I didn't shower or eat. I think I tried calling her at least five times a day."

"More like ten." Maura grinned up at her mischievously.

The detective rolled her eyes. "Yeah, probably. I just- I knew how much I needed her, how much she meant to me. I wasn't giving up on that. When she didn't answer my calls, I got really angry because there was a reasonable excuse and she had jumped to conclusions buuut-" She held her hand up to stall the protest from her wife's lips. "None of it would have happened if I had told her about the case in the first place. Anyway, a month later, after some pestering from your Nonna, she finally called me and... the rest is history." Jane concluded happily and hugged Maura more tightly.

"Do you think I should still try and pursue Chelsea?" Franky asked thoughtfully.

"I think that depends on whether you believe you're meant to be with her." Jane answered and Maura nodded in agreement. "It's certainly a better option than what you're currently doing." The detective added, not wanting to hurt her daughter but needing her to think a little more clearly about her behaviour.

"Yeah, I guess so." Franky got up from the bench and put her bowl in the dishwasher. "Uh, Lex, do you wanna go for a walk?"

"Sure!" Her younger sister responded happily. She had missed spending time with her older sibling all week.

When the girls left the kitchen, Maura grasped Jane's face in her hands and kissed her thoroughly. "You're such a wonderful mother and I love you so much." She claimed and received another kiss.

"Mmm, I love you too, baby." Suddenly remembering that they were supposed to be on their way to a crime scene, she let go of the smaller woman. "Oh fuck!"

"Jane!" Came the expected reprimand.

"We gotta go. The guys are gonna give me so much shit for bein' late!"

\---

The couple exited Jane's Audi Q5 and received a whistle from Frost.

"Damn, Jane. Nice car!" He obviously hadn't seen the vehicle before. "And why are we so late, huh?" He smirked at the couple and Jane rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, Korsak's here but he hurt himself playin' darts last night, so, we're stuck with Crowe."

Jane groaned and watched as Maura walked ahead to meet her techs as they assessed the scene. She narrowed her eyes as detective Crowe swaggered over to the ME and stood directly behind her bent over form. They hadn't seen him in over a week since he had seen them leave the Dirty Robber hand-in-hand.

"For fuck's sake. Isn't he married?" Jane pointed to their colleague and Frost chuckled.

"I actually have no idea but, you gotta admit, it's pretty hard to resist checking your wife out." He gave her a playful shove after she reluctantly agreed and they walked over to go over the scene.

Maura bent over to look inside of the car. The interior was covered in blood but there was nobody present. She assessed the spray pattern and took note of the other details that would help them figure out what had happened.

As she retreated from her hunched over position without looking, her backside bumped into a solid form behind her. She instantly knew it wasn't Jane and her heart hammered in her chest. "Oh, I'm so sorry." When she straightened up, she met the smirking face of Detective Darren Crowe.

"No problem, Dr Isles. I uh, didn't mind at all." He stated in a suggestive tone, looking down at his pelvis. She decided to ignore it for now and was relieved to see Jane and Barry approaching.

Giving a tight polite smile to the detective, Maura stepped around him and addressed her wife. "There's no body, Jane.

"Well, it's a good place to dump a car if you're gonna kill somebody in it." Crowe claimed and Jane nodded in agreement.

"Two distinct patterns of arterial spray. Both of the victim's carotids were likely severed. Whoever sat here is most certainly dead." Maura informed professionally.

Korsak approached them after going through the victim's personal items from the car. "Without a body, we're gonna need as much evidence as we can get." He showed the three detectives some ID. "Uh, the car belongs to a Melissa Joy Black from Michigan. 22 years old. Called Ann Arbor P.D. No stolen-car report. They checked her phone there- disconnected."

"Yeah, well, it's 'cause she lives in Boston now. That's a current parking pass at the local terminal." Jane pointed to the front of the car where the pass was located.

"My guess is that Melissa Joy works at the docks. Secretary in one of the offices, maybe?" Crowe suggested.

"Well, now, that's a very sexist remark!" Jane exclaimed but Korsak disagreed.

"She's 5'2" working at the docks. How's that sexist?"

"Because a mesomorphic woman of that height could easily lift two times her body weight." Maura enlightened them with some facts.

"Can you handle something twice your weight, Dr Isles?" Crowe asked as he gestured to himself.

Maura was a little shocked at the forward behaviour but knew that she shouldn't be. In the few months she had been working for BPD, Crowe had been anything but subtle in his interest towards her.

"Shut ya mouth, Crowe." Jane warned and got angrier when he gave her a smug smirk.

"C'mon, Rizzoli. Give the doc a chance to answer or do you two do more than hold hands when you've had a few to drink?" He joked, revealing that he hadn't read into their hand-holding at all. Jane was quite disappointed.

"I am hardly muscular enough to lift twice my body weight." Maura answered shortly and turned her back on him to speak with one of the crime techs.

Jane was a bit annoyed at her wife's literal answer and polite nature. She was itching to rip into him and wished that Maura had shot him down more harshly. She knew it was quite an unreasonable expectation but was dissatisfied nonetheless.

Crowe smirked again and Frost laid a hand on his partner's shoulder when he noticed the clenched fists.

"Hey, why don't we process the crime scene? Jane, you go to the docks and ask around." Frost directed gently.

"Yeah, ok. Maur, are you done?"

The doctor nodded as she finished giving clearance for everything to be taken back to the crime lab.

"Ok, then you're coming with me." Jane commanded and watched Crowe's disheartened face.

As the couple walked away from the crime scene, Maura decided to try some humour to lighten her wife's dark mood. "You know, I'm beginning to think that you are deliberately trying to take me away from Detective Crowe's charming presence."

"Yes, Maura, I'm sabotaging any potential interest you might show back to him." Jane chuckled and looked over at the smaller woman appreciatively. Her smile turned into a scowl when she heard a man call out to them from across the dock.

"Hey, babe. Nice tits!"

Jane couldn't help but yell back in reaction. "Oh, yeah, we've been waiting for you all our lives." She lowered her voice and addressed the ME. "What's he think we're gonna do? Just run over there and tear off his clothes?"

Maura shrugged, not phased by the man's crude behaviour. "He's not thinking consciously at all. It's a natural chemical response to our pheromones."

Jane stopped and looked at her wife incredulously. "Really? 'Nice tits' is a natural chemical response?"

"Isn't it yours?" The doctor teased and got a hearty laugh in return.

"You got me there, baby."

Maura grinned at that and continued. "Perceived fertility is paramount. Males seek mates capable of nursing offspring. Abundant breasts do suggest—"

"So, he was likely referring to you."

"Jaane." The doctor rolled her eyes

The detective smirked. "You know what his abundant belly suggests? Snowball's chance in hell for any woman."

Maura chuckled and pointed. "The office is over there."

They entered the building, machinery beeping, and several men presently working. Jane approached the closest man. "Oh, hey, excuse me. Can you tell me who's in charge here?"

The man answered without looking up. "Uh…He's busy."

"So am I. Boston Homicide." She flashed her badge and the man looked up with a surprised but happy face.

"Hey, what can I do for you lovely ladies?" He tried to give a charming smile.

Jane was unimpressed. This was the reason so many women thought men were pigs. "That's a doctor. I'm a detective. And you are?"

"Ray Murphy. I'm the Union rep around here. Is there a problem?"

Jane pulled out the victim's ID and showed him. "Are you familiar with this employee? Melissa Joy Black?"

He took a look at the picture. It wasn't a very flattering photograph. He handed it back. "Well, I can tell you she's not one of the office girls." He commented with a chuckle.

The detective ignored the comment. "Could she be a longshoreman?"

"I guess she could be one of the casual workers, but we don't have many gi— girls. Um, let me have you talk to one of the Union bosses. Axel?! This detective needs to talk to you." He called out over his shoulder to the man who had whistled at them on their way in. His eyes lit up when he spotted the women.

He strolled over and looked Jane up and down. "You're a cop. That's a turnoff." His eyes shifted from her to dart over Maura's chest.

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Bummer. Do you recognise her?" She showed him the same ID that she had shown Ray.

Axel recognised her but didn't look very impressed. "M.J.? Yeah… She walked off the job halfway through her shift yesterday. Affirmative-action hires are bullshit. No muscle, no use."

"Actually, male and female muscle tissue is identical. What varies is the size of the male skeletal frame. Men generally have less body fat but not always." Maura informed them but received no response because of a loud commotion outside. They all rushed out to the sound of an alarm blaring.

Axel yelled at one of the men running towards the office. "What's going on?"

"Call 911! I need some help! Call 911!" The frantic man shouted.

Another man approached Jane as he noticed her badge. "Officer! The tide started going out when one of the guys noticed a woman in the water."

They got closer to the edge of the dock and all saw the body of a woman tied to one of the posts, her upper body rapidly reappearing over the water line as the tide went out.

Jane looked at the ID again and nodded. "It's Melissa Joy Black." She turned to Maura and watched as her wife's face paled. "What's wrong?" She placed her hand on the doctor's arm.

Maura stayed staring at the body as if in a trance. "Is that— It's an ice pick, Jane."

Jane spun around quickly and got closer to the body to indeed see the ice pick sticking out of the woman's chest. She swallowed her fear and looked back at Maura, running her hands up and down the cold arms. "It doesn't mean he's back, baby."

"Yes, it does."


	11. Chapter 11

Korsak arrived moments after the body had been found and approached Jane and Maura. He was curious about the look of concern on the brunette's face. She noticed he had arrived and took a step back, putting a professional distance between herself and her wife.

"Hey Korsak. Take a look at this." Jane moved away and showed her colleague the body.

"Paddy Doyle's signature. Ice pick through the heart with a message attached." Korsak noted confidently.

Jane ran her hand through her hair, visibly upset. "You sure?"

"Yeah. It's his M.O. for sure."

"Damn it." The brunette whispered under her breath but Korsak caught it.

"What's wrong, Jane?"

"What kind of message is he sending with the murder of a twenty two year old female dockworker?"

"Whatever it is, I won't be the one forensically interpreting it. I'm calling in Dr Pike from the Western Massachusetts office." Maura sounded from behind them and Korsak looked at her with a frown.

"Oh, no, anybody but him… I don't understand, Dr Isles. Why can't you do the autopsy?"

Jane pulled Korsak closer to her and looked around to make sure there was nobody else within ear shot. "You can't freak out on us but… Paddy is Maura's father."

"Holy shit!" He exclaimed, more shocked at this news than when he found out that Jane and Maura were married.

"Shh." The brunette whispered harshly. "No one can know."

"Jesus, Jane! That's- that's crazy… But do we really have to deal with Pike if no one knows?"

Jane let go of his sleeve and addressed her unsettled wife. "Come on, Maur. You don't have to do this, alright? The only people who know about your connection to Doyle are us three, Suzie, and your parents."

"We may finally be able to prosecute Patrick Doyle for murder. I don't want to risk a defence attorney finding out that he's my biological father and using it against us in court." Maura claimed, her mind made up. Jane knew she was right. They all wanted him behind bars.

"Are you gonna tell Frost?" Korsak asked.

"Yeah, later… How can we get Crowe off the case?"

"Leave it with me. I'll get myself reassigned. Sean's just bein' a baby coz I beat him last night even though I busted my shoulder." He turned to face Maura. "What are you gonna tell Pike?"

"I don't have to tell him anything. I'm his boss." The ME claimed assertively and retrieved her cell phone, dialling the Western Massachusetts office.

"Korsak raised an eyebrow at Jane and the brunette just smirked. Assertive Maura was very sexy.

"I can't wait to hear the story for this one, Rizzoli." Korsak commented as they walked back over to watch as the body was retrieved from the water.

Another man approached them looking a little sick. "Hi detectives." He held out his hand to both of them. "I'm Bill Sutton, Mass Shore Chief Executive Officer. Is there some way her body can be covered? It's uh- it's pretty upsetting."

"You say you're with Mass Shore?" Jane questioned.

"Yeah, our company runs the docks."

"Some people say the mob still does."

"Well, uh, I know there's a long history of that down here. Ever since we took over last fall, we've taken steps to change that."

"Don't think Paddy Doyle's taken too kindly to that." Korsak chimed in with a chuckle.

Bill looked mortified at the suggestion. "You don't think he had anything to do with this, do you?"

The older detective raised an eyebrow in disbelief at the man. "A dockworker is tied to the piling with an ice pick sticking out of her chest for everybody here to see? Yeah, we think there may be a connection."

Jane refocussed his attention. "Mr. Sutton, have you or anybody at your company received any graft demands or extortion threats since you took over?"

"No. Our corporation doesn't have any ties to the mob."

"They do." She pointed to the workers.

"You mean the dockworkers? Look, like every company, we've had our troubles with the Union. You're probably not gonna get a lot of help out of those guys, but we'll do everything we can."

\---

Jane stared at Dr Pike from the doorway, frustrated already at the man who was organising his instruments, preparing for the autopsy. "Could he be more anal?" She whispered to Maura as they moved further into the morgue.

"Actually, yes. Although he exhibits many of the classic Freudian traits: rigidity, fixation on rules, and orderliness, his autopsy work is less than meticulous." Maura sighed, hoping that he would find something useful for their case.

Jane entered Dr Pike's vision and asked, "When will you be starting?"

"Momentarily. Seems not much stock is put in the proper placement of instruments here." He commented sarcastically.

"You gonna let him talk to you like that? This is ridiculous. You're his boss." Jane whispered again but she wasn't exactly subtle about it.

The ME ignored her and addressed her subordinate. "Is there something particular you require, doctor?"

He looked at her with disdain. "Yes. Organisation." The tall man turned back to the body and spoke into the microphone. "Now, we have a well-developed female Caucasian, twenty two years old, with an incised gaping wound across the neck."

"Later that same day." Jane whispered into her wife's ear and copped a backhand to the stomach in jest.

Pike sighed happily. "I do miss this. Not many near decapitations in the hinterlands of Western Massachusetts. The ice pick is a nice touch, though unnecessary. She bled out in under a minute. That Doyle really is a butcher, isn't he?"

Maura flinched. "Will you excuse me? She left the morgue and went into her office. Jane followed and closed the door behind her.

"Don't let that idiot get to you, sweetheart." The detective wrapped the smaller woman up in her arms.

"Well, I can't fault him for telling the truth. Paddy Doyle is a butcher." Maura stated bitterly.

Jane held the doctor at arm's length to look into her eyes. "Paddy Doyle has nothing to do with you."

"He fathered me."

The brunette shook her head. "He… simply provided the sperm. Alright? And judging by the amazing person that you turned out to be, his DNA didn't win."

They were interrupted by a knock on Maura's office door.

"Dr. Isles?" Dr Pike poked his head in.

"Yes?" The chief ME answered professionally.

"I discovered a micro SD card in the victim's stomach contents. It's from a camera. Video would be my guess. Must have swallowed it just before she was killed and I'll bet Paddy Doyle wanted it." He handed her the card.

Maura frowned at his conjecture. "That sounds very much like an assumption."

He didn't care, he just wanted to know what was on the card. "You think there's a drug deal on it? A murder?"

"I don't know, nor is it within our purview to guess. Please take this up to Detective Frost in homicide." She ordered and he reclaimed the evidence.

"Arguably the most important find against a notorious mobster and I'll be credited with it, all because you needed help. Funny, huh?" He asked arrogantly.

Jane bit her tongue from retorting.

Maura just sighed, feeling deflated. "Hmm, yes, very funny. Goodnight, doctor."

\---

"Where's Alexis?" Maura questioned as she pondered her next move.

"Out with friends. Where's Ma?" Franky asked as she moved her chess piece forward. She frowned at her mother's sigh.

"At work."

"What's up, Mom? You're not thrashing me like usual. You're barely holding onto your lead." The seventeen year old asked, concerned.

"Just a tough case, darling." Maura answered and counter moved. She dropped the piece, startled, when their front door burst open.

Paddy Doyle was holding his shoulder and was being supported by a tall burly man who held a gun out at both women.

Maura instinctively moved in front of her daughter but Franky easily pushed her back and placed herself between the intruders and her mother.

"What the hell?!" Franky shouted defiantly. She moved to attack, not noticing the weapon, but Maura grabbed her arm.

"Wait- Franky, don't!" She yelled in a panic. She looked at her father angrily. Satisfied that he at least showed some remorse.

His helper aimed the gun at Franky's head as they moved further into the room. "He needs a doctor. Now!"

The tall brunette paled at the threat. "My god, who are you? What do you want?!"

"That's Paddy Doyle." The thug motioned with his gun at the balding man he was holding up.

Maura moved closer to inspect her father's wound but Franky tried to stop her. "Mom! Don't go near them."

The doctor ignored her daughter and addressed the injured man. "The bullet seems to have fractured your clavicle. You're lucky."

Paddy sighed and then grimaced as his helper settled him onto a chair. "Thought your idea of luck would have been if it had pierced my heart." He groaned at the pain.

Franky looked between them and realised that this man knew her mother somehow. He knew she was a doctor and had come for help. She stayed out of the smaller woman's way this time when she moved forward to observe the wound.

"The bone prevented the bullet from hitting a major artery."

"Been through this before. Just need stitching up." He hissed as the pain worsened.

"It's not that simple. You have tissue damage, vasculature concerns, bone fragments."

The thug grabbed Franky and pointed the gun at her temple. "Do it... Or she dies." The young woman barely flinched, anger overriding her fear.

Maura stepped closer. "Don't you dare threaten my daughter!" She growled and looked pointedly at Paddy. "Tell him to put it away or I'm not helping you."

"Calm down, Reggie. Put the gun down." Paddy ordered and Reggie let Franky go. She glared at him as she moved to her mother's side, between him and her.

"Francesca, find me some towels, bowls, um, and hot water. I'll need to irrigate the wound before I can suture."

Franky reluctantly went to retrieve the items.

"That's my granddaughter?" He half asked, half stated in awe. Of course he knew. He had been keeping tabs on his family for a long time.

Maura scowled at him. "You're holding us hostage and you think you have a right to ask me personal questions?" She exhaled sharply. "The exit wound is quite large. It's going to be difficult to close. I don't have anaesthetic."

"Don't need any."

"What happened? How did you get shot?" The doctor asked abruptly as she poked and prodded him.

"Business."

"Was the woman murdered at the docks 'business' too?" She retorted angrily.

"Not mine. I didn't kill her." He answered resolutely.

Franky returned with the necessary items and watched as Maura began cleaning his wound. The seventeen year old gave the injured man a hard stare. "Mom, who the hell is this guy?"

"I'm her father."

\---

Back at the station, Jane and Barry went through the surveillance footage from the docks.

Korsak entered the room to get an update on the situation.

Jane greeted him. "Hey Vince, Sutton sent over all the dock surveillance footage. Found Melissa leaving."

"Anything on the SD card?"

"Still trying. Stomach acid did a number on it. I don't have any audio but look at this. I only got a few frames. Someone's chasing her." Frost pointed out.

"Yeah, Paddy Doyle. Oh, we just need one frame of that bastard's face." Jane claimed desperately but there was no one identifiable showing on the footage.

"I did some checking on Richie Black, Melissa's dad. Before he wound up on a ventilator, he was pretty much a dockworking stiff. No criminal record, not a single tie to Doyle." Frost shared.

"No, he works the docks, Paddy owns the docks. There's your connection." The older detective stated simply.

Frost continued. "I also got a copy of his OSHA accident report. Lab work from the E.R. said his blood alcohol was .10."

"Guess he was drinking on the job."

"Yeah, but Melissa didn't believe he did it. She went undercover to prove it." Jane paused for a moment and made a deduction. "Maybe she stumbled across something she wasn't supposed to? That alone's enough to get her killed. Weapons, drugs, human trafficking. It all goes through the docks." She sighed heavily. "We gotta get one of those dockworkers to talk. I just wish we didn't have to wait till tomorrow."

"We don't. High tide's at 2:01. They'll all be there." Korsak informed them confidently.

"How do you know that?"

"I did some time in my time."

\---

Once Maura finished helping Paddy, Reggie moved him to lay on the couch and then zip tied Maura and Franky's hands, and sat them at the dining table.

"You ok, Mom?" Franky asked, her anxiety rising the longer her mother sat there silently.

"I'm fine."

"Hives, Mommy." Franky tried to joke but she got nothing back. Maura sat there staring at nothing. "Hey, we already knew you were adopted. Why didn't you tell us about him?"

The doctor looked at her daughter and contemplated an answer. "He's- dangerous. Why would I want you to know about him?"

"Mom, how long have you known?"

"A while."

"How long?" Franky almost growled, upset that her mother was trying to deflect from telling her.

"Since Chicago."

"Chicago?! Are you kidding me?" Franky practically screeched.

"Hey, shut up!" Reggie yelled at them.

"You shut up you fuckin' creep!" Franky shouted back, sounding exactly like Jane. Her anger inhibiting her judgement.

"Franky!" Maura hissed in warning. She was proud of how fierce her daughter was but frightened that she would end up hurt. "Please, bub! I know you're angry but- please just don't upset them." She pleaded, feeling emotional and wishing Jane would hurry up and get home but also praying that Alexis didn't get in anytime soon.

They looked up at the sound of wheezing.

"What the fuck? What's wrong with him?!" Reggie called out to Maura, worried about his bosses breathing. "Help him!"

Franky raised her hands and lifted her eyebrow. "Like this?" She asked sarcastically.

Reggie came over and cut the doctor's ties. "Now, fix him!"

"He really should be on an IV." Maura stated as she listened to his chest. "His body is working to replace fluids and white cells."

Paddy opened his eyes and smiled gently at her. "You look a lot like your mother." He rasped weakly.

Maura was alarmed. This was the most he had ever said to her about her mother. "Who was my mother?"

"You would like her. She would like you."

"Did she love you?" She asked resentfully.

"She did. But you would still like her." He smiled and lost consciousness again.

\---

Jane and Korsak wandered back down to the docks and Ray greeted them. "Hey, look who's back." He leered and a few guys laughed and blatantly checked Jane out.

"Hey! Don't be assholes." Korsak commanded and eyed them all menacingly. He pulled a few of them aside for questioning.

Jane moved to talk with Ray. As she got close to him, one of the dock workers slapped her on the ass. She stopped and turned around, glaring at the small group nearby. "Who the fuck did that?"

"What's goin' on?" Korsak yelled out to her.

"Someone with a death wish just slapped my ass." She growled and turned back to Ray. "Who was it?"

He smirked and she thought for a moment that he wasn't going to tell her, but then he pointed to Axel with his arms crossed, wearing a smug look.

Jane pointed at him and Korsak wiped the smug look off the man's face by dangling a pair off cuffs in front of him. Axel whined as they were slapped on his wrists and he was led back to the car.

"Anyone else want to sexually harass an officer of the law?" She asked the group and raised one side of her lip in satisfaction. "Didn't think so."

Jane finished questioning Ray and left, nowhere closer to solving the case. On their way back to the station, they got a call that another body had been found in Southie, not far from where they had been.

When they turned up, Korsak recognised the victim right away. "It's Paddy Doyle's right-hand man, Kevin Brennan. He and Paddy got kicked out of grammar school together. They've been partners in crime ever since."

Jane observed the body. "Multiple GSWs. Maybe they had a falling out?" She suggested weakly.

"I don't see an ice pick. How many shell casings are there?"

"They're still counting them. Why?"

Korsak looked over the scene carefully. The body, riddled with bullets, and the blood surrounding it. "This just— It feels like an ambush more than an execution. You know? This guy spends fifty years attached to Paddy's hip and then winds up dead? I don't think Brennan was the target. And, either his blood got on Paddy's shoes, or Paddy took a bullet himself." He pointed at the bloody footprints on the ground leading away from the body.

"I'll have CSRU check the blood trail. See if there's more than one type. So we talking mob war?" Jane asked her more experienced colleague. She had only dealt with one mob-related killing before but she had plenty of experience in gang-related killings. She supposed it was somewhat similar.

"Yeah, maybe? For control of the docks." Korsak looked up as the coroner's van arrived and Dr Pike got out with his medical bag. "Ohh, what the hell is Pike doing here?" He turned to Jane and she shrugged, having no idea why Maura wasn't present.

"Detectives." The tall man greeted them and bent down to examine the body.

"Where's Dr. Isles?" Jane asked him.

He looked at her annoyed. "I have no idea nor do I understand your question's relevance given our nearly identical credentials."

"Just tell us what you're doing here."

"Dr. Isles was unreachable." He claimed, not noticing the worried frown that settled on Jane's features. "It's discrimination, pure and simple. The Governor felt he needed to appoint a woman. Once again, I'm penalised for being a white male." He spoke mostly to himself as he carried out his duties.

Jane rolled her eyes at his diatribe but walked away to call her wife.

"Korsak? Maura's not answering." She informed him, biting the side of her nail. She was worried.

"Go Jane. I got this."

"Thanks!" The detective practically ran to her car and sped all the way home.

\---

Maura and Franky were tied up again and sitting patiently at the table, watching Reggie help Doyle sit up on the couch.

All four of the room's occupants looked over to the kitchen bench where Maura's phone started ringing.

"That's probably Jane."

Both men ignored it and Paddy shakily got to his feet.

"If I don't answer, she is going to come looking for me!" Maura tried to get them to see reason. They ignored her. "Why did you even come here? You could have paid off any number of doctors for treatment."

"But they wouldn't have been you." He looked at her with affection and glanced at his granddaughter. He smiled softly at her and looked back to Maura.

"Is that supposed to warm my heart? Because it doesn't!" The doctor spat out. Franky looked alarmed at how angry her mother was. She had never seen her be outright nasty to anyone in her whole life. "I've seen what you're capable of. I saw what you did to that young woman!" Maura was close to tears she was so mad.

"I didn't do anything to her. I don't kill women or children or anyone who doesn't deserve it." He argued and she looked at him in disbelief.

"Oh, so even you have standards?" She had definitely been married to Jane for a long time Her ability to channel such a smart ass comment surprised even her.

"Regardless of what you think of me, Maura, in my world, I'm a man of honour and of my word. I'm being framed." He started walking past them with the aide of his henchman.

"I don't believe you."

"You're the chief medical examiner. Use your science. It'll tell you if I'm guilty or not." Reggie opened the front door and led Paddy out.

"Where are you going?" Maura questioned, relieved that he was leaving.

"To finish what someone else started." He answered cryptically. The door closed and they were left alone again.

"Fuckin' asshole coulda cut the stupid ties." Franky snarled, pulling at her bound hands and feet.

"Franky, please don't swear."

"Mom, a man just came into our house and made you patch him up! I think that warrants the use of a few fucks." The young woman argued and laughed at their predicament.

Maura couldn't help but chuckle too. "God, I hope your mother isn't tearing apart Boston looking for me." She sighed, knowing that Jane was going to flip out over this.

The front door opened and the sound of heavy boots thumped into the room.

"Maura!" Jane shouted unnecessarily. Her wife was sitting calmly, tied up but uninjured. Jane's eyes widened when she realised her eldest daughter was there too. "Shit, Franky?" She dropped to her knees in front of her wife and ran her hands over her legs and sides, up to her face.

"We're ok, darling." Maura tried to appease Jane as her face was grasped firmly and she was checked thoroughly. The brunette kissed her hard. Frantically. The ME pulled back and rubbed her nose along the side of Jane's. "I promise, love. We're ok."

The detective looked her daughter over and embraced her tightly.

"Uh, Ma? Can you cut us loose?"

"Sorry sweetie." Jane pulled out a pocket knife to cut their ties. "When did he leave?"

"About fifteen minutes ago."

"Paddy was shot, right?" Jane asked Maura as she rubbed the blonde's wrists and held her hands gently, lifting each one to her mouth and kissing them reverently.

The doctor nodded. "A bullet fractured his clavicle. He lost a lot of blood, but the injuries weren't life-threatening. How did you know?"

"Because I just came from a crime scene where his top lieutenant wasn't so lucky."

Maura was shocked. "Do you know what happened?"

"No, but for Paddy Doyle to take a bullet, somebody he trusted must have given him up." Jane helped Maura up from the chair and looked around their dining room. "God, it looks like an E.R. in here."

"Mom had to fix him at gunpoint!" Franky notified her Ma and then plonked herself down on the couch, exhausted from the afternoon's event.

"He had a gun pointed at you?!" Jane growled. Paddy Doyle was going to pay.

"No, his thug did… Sweetheart, calm down." Maura ran her hands over the strong shoulders, rubbing them soothingly.

Jane huffed and clenched her jaw repeatedly until her body relaxed from her wife's touch. She placed her hands on Maura's hips and looked at her with worry. "I swear if he had hurt you-"

"He didn't, baby." Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's shoulders and kissed her jaw. She pulled away, remembering that Franky might need comforting too. "Are you ok, sweet girl?"

The young woman nodded with her arms folded. Maura sat down next to her and rubbed her thigh. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that, honey."

"It's ok, Mom. It's not your fault."

Maura looked to Jane as the detective sat down across from them in one of the armchairs.

"Jane, he told me that the shooting was over business."

"So, what? Melissa's murder was under the category of pleasure?" Jane asked sarcastically.

"No, he- he said somebody was trying to frame him. That he doesn't kill women or children or innocents."

"Of course he told you that, Maura. He's not gonna confess to the one person in the world that he gives a damn about. A mob boss like Paddy Doyle couldn't rule the streets this long just on fear. He lives by a code. That's why he has respect." Jane was worried about the doubtful look in Maura's eyes.

"He has a heart, Ma." Franky declared. Jane rolled her eyes. "I'm serious! You didn't see the way he looked at her, at us. He may be a bad guy, but he loves his family."

"You're not his family!" Jane protested and stood up to pace the living room floor. "He's a fucking cold-blooded killer."

"Sorry Ma. I'm not trying to upset you. There was just no way he was gonna hurt Mom."

The detective sighed heavily. "Yeah, I know, kiddo. Maur, you sure you're ok?"

"Yes, love."

"Ok, I gotta get back to the station. Run all this info by Korsak and Frost. Can you make sure you check Pike's autopsy of Brennan?"

"Of course. Give me five minutes and I'll come with you."

"Ok, babe." Jane watched as Maura scurried upstairs to clean up. "You ok, Franky?"

"Yeah. I was just worried about Mom. She seemed really rattled."

"Yeah, Paddy has a way of getting to her like no one else." Jane confessed, upset that her wife had been subjected to his bullshit again.

"She- she was practically pleading with him about her mother. Does she not know who she is?" Franky asked, sensing that her Ma was more open to answering than her Mom had been.

"Ah, yeah. God, he's dangled that over her head for a while. We're not even sure if she's alive. He told her she died at birth and then- well, her brother was killed and-"

"Mom had a brother?!"

"Half brother, Colin. She never knew him. He turned up on her table in Chicago with an ice pick in his head. That's Paddy's MO. That was when I took a year off and got a job in security, remember?"

"Yeah, vaguely."

"You were only about seven at the time. So, it turned out that when they ran a test on Colin, her DNA showed up coz she was in the system. Then Paddy turned up, wanting his son's body. Mom figured it all out. It was fucked up. Anyway, he told her that her mother was an amazing woman and spoke about her in the present tense. It really confused your Mom. She has no idea who she is or if she's out there somewhere. After that, we haven't seen or heard from him since."

"Until now, you mean?"

"Well, yeah." Jane chuckled at the absurdity of it all. "When this case is done, we- all of us- can chat about it some more if you want?"

"That would be good, Ma. I'll let Lexi know about what happened when she gets in. She's gonna flip out!"

"Yeah, I'm glad it was you here and not her."

"Oh my god, yeah. She would've gotten herself shot trying to take the guy's eyes out or something." They both laughed, imagining how it would have played out.

"Ready." Maura descended the stairs looking like she had just spent hours getting ready.

"Ok, beautiful. Let's go."

"I'll clean up when I get back, Franky." Maura spoke to her daughter who waved her off.

"No, I got it, Mom. It's fine."

"Ok, thanks sweetie. The hospital grade disinfectant is under the laundry sink. I love you." She kissed Franky on the head and the couple left the house.

\---

"Hey Janie, Maura ok?"

"Yeah, Vince. Just a bit shaken up." She filled him in on the recent events and Korsak looked like he might be in agreement about the framing.

"All of his victims were gangsters. No women, no children." He stated, confirming Paddy's claim.

"That we know of… No forensic evidence links Paddy to any of these killings. None of his DNA was recovered from Melissa, either." Jane signed in frustration. She wanted to put him behind bars so badly. She didn't want him to cause her wife any grief ever again.

"He's good but he isn't usually this messy. You think he's slipping?"

"No, my gut tells me he was framed, but how?!"

"Yeah, mine too." Korsak reluctantly agreed. "It's brilliant that somebody could pull it off. You know, murder Melissa and make it look like Doyle did the deed. Case closed." They looked up to see Frost enter the bullpen.

"Hey Jane, we got footage of Ray leaving mid shift. You think it could be connected?"

Jane and Korsak looked at each other. "You think he could pull off framing a mob boss?"

"He seemed dumb enough to try." Jane professed with a shrug. "Axel's time in lockup is almost up. Hopefully it's put him in a mood to talk."

They got a confession from Axel that Melissa's father had been going for the Union rep position and that Ray hadn't taken kindly to that. He also suggested a possible relationship between Ray and Melissa that helped their case immensely, tying her reasoning for going undercover to the current Union rep. They just needed the forensic evidence to support their theory.

Jane called Maura to let her know and the ME went to check Pike's report.

\---

Maura walked into her office and frowned at the man sitting in her chair. "Dr. Pike. I've looked through your report on Melissa Joy Black. I didn't see a reference to an examination of the victim's teeth or gums." She placed the report on her desk and waited for the man to look up at her.

"Cause of death was quite clear, as is my report. I didn't feel the need to floss her molars." He retorted sarcastically and Maura fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Doctor, I am concerned about the post-mortem bruising around the victim's mouth."

"Hmm. Which I noted on page twenty seven." He claimed, still not looking up from his work, frustrating the blonde.

"But that suggests that the perpetrator applied force against the victim's mouth during the attack."

"And what's your point?" Pike looked up and noted her upset.

"Detective Rizzoli's investigation indicated that this was a very brave young woman going undercover on her own."

"I don't make my rulings based on a victim's personality traits."

"Nor do I… But I would consider that such a woman may have bitten her killer."

His eyes widened slightly in comprehension. "Mmm." He hummed noncommittally, realising his mistake.

"I want to see the body." Maura demanded.

"Already released to the funeral home per her family's request." He replied arrogantly.

The chief ME was indignant. She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him with displeasure. "Without my approval?"

He stood and defended himself. "I'm a medical examiner, too."

"No, you are an assistant medical examiner. You work for me, Dr. Pike."

He chuckled condescendingly. "It figures that someone like you would try and pull rank. I went to Harvard too, you know?"

She looked up at him and crossed her arms across her chest. "Shut it or I will assign you to a town that will make Western Massachusetts feel like Paris. You have one hour to get that body back, do you understand?"

He bowed his head in surrender. "Yes, doctor."

An hour later, Melissa Joy's body was back on the morgue table and Maura was standing by, guiding Pike in examining her mouth.

After dealing with his protests as to why she couldn't be the one completing the inspection, the doctors found a skin particle that proved Melissa's killer to be Ray Murphy. She had most certainly bitten him in her attempts to escape his attack.

\---

As soon as Jane and Frost got the news from Maura, they raced back to the docks to arrest the killer.

Unfortunately, they were too late. Paddy had gotten his revenge. Ray lay slumped over his desk, an ice pick sticking out of his chest.

"Fuck!" Jane was pissed. They wouldn't know now if Doyle was connected or not.

\---

After the examination of Ray's body, they found another SD card.

Maura brought it upstairs and they began watching the footage, confirming Ray Murphy and Bill Sutton making a deal.

"Looks like Ray ditched the old mob for the new mob: the Corporation." Korsak commented, disappointed to not capture Paddy Doyle but glad the real perpetrator was going to go down.

"Damn it, Paddy was telling the truth. He didn't order Melissa's death. I'm thinking Ray gave up Sutton before he died." Jane sighed in frustration.

"Then you'd better find Sutton before my father does." Maura suggested quietly to the three detectives.

They found Sutton in his cushy office with a bullet wound to his shoulder but it wasn't fatal. Paddy had wanted him caught.

\---

Jane entered her house after the long day and frowned when her cell phone rang. She hoped it wasn't another body. She really wanted some sleep.

Maura greeted her quietly with a kiss and helped her take her jacket off as the brunette answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Detective Rizzoli." Paddy Doyle's voice sounded on the other end.

"How'd you get this number?" She asked fiercely and tried to move away from her eavesdropping wife. Maura wouldn't have it. She pulled Jane's body close and placed her ear near the receiver to listen.

"I'm one of the good guys compared to this new way of doing business. I know you know that."

"I'm not sure I do. Where are you?" Jane demanded, angry that he was interfering in their lives.

"You know I'm not telling you." He chuckled at her weak attempt to find out where he was.

"Well, that's too bad. Coz if I knew, I'd come and rip your fuckin' head off for threatening my wife—"

He cut her off in a calm voice. "I would never hurt Maura… Why don't you tell me about Melissa Joy Black? Back when I ran the docks, we didn't kill women... Or hurt hardworking people like her father, Richie."

"Well, that was ruled an accident."

"No. Check the DNA on the blood alcohol test they said was Richie's, and Jane?"

"What?!" She barked into the phone.

"Take care of my daughter." He requested softly.

"I can take care of myself!" Maura spoke abruptly into the receiver. She looked to Jane. "Hang up."

The detective did as her wife asked and pulled the smaller woman into a tight embrace. "I do think he loves you." Jane kissed the golden head.

Maura looked up at Jane with a frown. "It doesn't mean I have to love him back."

"No, it doesn't. Hopefully he'll leave us alone now. I didn't really think about him being based here when we decided to move to the East Coast."

"We hadn't heard from him in over ten years, love. Why would either of us have thought of it?" She smiled at her detective and kissed her tenderly.

\---

Jane stood by the back door and watched her daughters with affection as they lay quietly in the mid afternoon sun, reading their books.

"Hey kiddos." She approached them with a soft smile, trying to calm her nerves about what she knew she needed to do.

"Hi Mama."

"Hey Ma."

"Uhh, Mom's at work right now so, I wanted to talk to you both about a few things. Is that ok?" She sat at the outdoor setting and sighed in relief when they responded willingly.

"Yeah, sure." Alexis had been doing much better since their chat and was treating her mother with a lot more respect.

"What's up, Ma?" Franky asked, having a good idea of this was going to be about.

"Well, I actually just wanted to answer any questions you both might have. I know the past year has been really tough." She swallowed hard as she revealed what she really need to tell her girls. "I uh, started therapy this week. Um, coz of- you know?"

"Hoyt?"

"Yeah." The detective whispered out. "I wanted you to know that um, your Mom and I are more than happy to pay for you guys to see someone if you want to, ok?" She offered emotionally. It was what she should have done several months ago after everything happened.

"Thanks, Ma… I'm ok. I think I just need you guys to be more transparent as you deal with stuff. Like, don't try and hide it from us." Franky requested and Jane nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I think just knowin' that we can actually come and ask questions without you guys deflecting, that would be really helpful. Like, who the heck is Paddy Doyle anyway? And why won't he tell Mom who her mother is? He seems like an asshole to me." Alexis stated with a scowl.

Jane couldn't suppress the laugh that bubbled up. Her daughter really was a carbon copy of her. She ruffled her dark head. "Yeah, he is an asshole but I think your Mom loves him anyway. Don't tell her I said that. I don't know his reasons for not revealing anything about Mom's mother but I hope that she gets to find out one day."

"It really eats at her, Mama." Alexis claimed, upset at something no one had any control over.

"I know, sweetie." Jane reached over and held her daughter's hands.

"Hey, who called a family meeting and didn't invite me?" Maura joked as she closed the back door behind her and joined them.

"Hey beautiful." Jane leaned over and kissed her wife. "We were just talking about how much we love you and that we need to go away on a family holiday reeeeally soon, right girls?" She winked at the teenagers and they nodded exuberantly.

Maura's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, I can't think of anything more perfect right now! When? Where shall we go? Oh, I know! We could visit your grandparents and go on a museum tour of London!"

Jane grimaced and her teens looked distressed at having to visit multiple museums for a vacation.

"Uh yeah, babe. That sounds umm— I was thinking of somewhere with a beach—" She wrapped her arm around the petite shoulders and whispered in her ear. "And you in a bikini." She kissed the side of her head.

"We heard that." Alexis teased, smiling at the idea of a beach vacation. "Can we go to Fiji?"

"Oh yeah! That would be amazing!" Franky agreed.

They all looked to Maura.

She looked at Jane. "Only if you're going to be wearing a bikini too." She requested suggestively and both women laughed heartily at the groans from their daughters.

"Oh my god. If we go, we are not hanging out with you two!" Alexis declared.

Franky chuckled and joked with her sister. "I don't think we'll need to worry. I doubt they'll leave the hotel room much." She winked and they roared with laughter.

"Hmm, just for that, I'm gonna make sure to make out with your Mom every time you're both in our presence." Jane threatened.

"Oh yeah, like you don't do that already!" Was teased back lightheartedly.

Maura looked at Jane with adoration and received a kiss in response.

"See?!" Was yelled at them but they paid no attention.

"Should we invite our parents?" The doctor asked her wife.

Jane shrugged. "I guess so. We haven't seen your parents in a long time."

"Mm, I know. Ok, I'll call them once we decide on some dates."

"Ok, baby." They kissed again and allowed it to deepen, smiling at each other when they realised they were alone. "Works every time." Jane whispered against Maura's mouth and claimed the soft lips once more.


	12. Chapter 12

Warning: Explicit sex scene ahead...

\---

"Why did we have to come home?" Jane groaned as she placed their suitcases in the corner of the room for unpacking later. She watched as her teens scrambled upstairs to their bedrooms.

"Because we have to work, darling." Maura answered simply and chuckled at the pout on her wife's face. She stepped in close and crept her hands underneath Jane's shirt, trying to mimic the pout. "It's such a shame that you can't wear your bikini everyday." She ran her hands over the slender waist and up the taller woman's ribcage.

Jane moaned softly and pulled the doctor in by her shoulders, smirking at the comment. That had been her favourite part of their holiday. She didn't have to think about what to wear and got to see Maura in next to nothing on a daily basis. "Maybe we can turn the heating up in the house and both wear them all day, every day?" She suggested playfully, leaning down to tenderly kiss the ME.

Predictably, the kiss deepened and became heated but, as usual, it was interrupted.

"Dear god! Didn't you get enough of making out while we were away?" Alexis teased as she made her way into the kitchen for a drink.

"No." Was Jane's only response as she kissed a giggling Maura several more times before letting her go.

\---

"Wow, Jane! I didn't think you could get more tanned but you're almost as black as me!" Frost joked and gave her a quick hug. He had really missed his partner.

"Are you that tanned everywhere?" Korsak asked and she scrunched up her face.

"Eww, don't ask me that ever again." She joked and placed her jacket on the back of her chair.

"What about Maura? Did she tan much?" Frost asked, trying not to show too much interest but failing miserably.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She commented sarcastically.

"Well, heck yeah! Did she just wear her bikini the whole time?" He jokingly asked, not expecting an answer.

"You're such a perv." She smirked at him and nodded. "Of course she did." Jane wished she was back at the beach with her bikini clad wife. She laughed at Frost's groan.

Crowe overheard the conversation and butted in with too much interest. "Dr Isles in a bikini everyday? Yes, please… So, you and the doc went on vacation together, Rizzoli?"

She weighed up her options and decided to just answer honestly. She'd had enough of his bullshit anyway. "We sure did. Took our teenage daughters with us too." She enjoyed the look of confusion on his face.

"You went without your husbands?"

"They don't have husbands douchebag!" Frost explained and they all laughed at Crowe's even more confused face.

Realisation dawned. "What the fu—?" Crowe laughed at her and then realised she wasn't laughing with him. "You're serious?"

"Sure am." The brunette responded smugly.

"You know, for a detective, you're not so quick." Korsak mumbled.

Maura waltzed into the bullpen carrying a file and looking refreshed after two weeks off.

All four detectives stared at her in a slight daze. She wore a tight blue dress with a square cut across the cleavage that indeed showed that the doctor had gained a significant tan whilst away.

"Uh, I don't believe you, Rizzoli." Crowe declared without taking his eyes off Maura.

Jane looked at him with a raised eyebrow. She looked across to Frost and Korsak, getting a nod.

"Good morning detectives, I have the report from-" Maura stopped as her wife swaggered up to her, a particular gleam in her eye. "Jane, what are you- mmph." She was quieted by lips pressed against hers and strong hands possessively grasped her hips.

Jane didn't let it go for too long but enough that Crowe bowed his head in acceptance. She let go of the honey blonde and turned back to the bald detective and raised her eyebrow in question at him smugly.

"Honey, what are you doing? This is not the place for—" Maura shut her mouth when she realised there was some sort of point being made. She had no idea what but she would ask Jane about it later.

Crowe raised his hands in defeat. "Ok, ok. You win. God damn, you are fuckin' lucky." He grumbled as he sat back in his seat and tried not to stare as Jane wrapped her arm around the smaller woman and led her out of the room.

\---

Jane pulled Maura close with an arm wrapped around her shoulders and whispered into her ear. "How many kids are there in her class?" She withheld a groan as she heard another name called and watched as the next graduate got up to receive their diploma.

"If you had hyphened your name to Isles-Rizzoli, she would have been up there by now." Angela teased and Maura chuckled.

"Ha ha good one, Nonna." Alexis nudged her Ma in the ribs and Maura shushed them both. Angela laughed to herself knowing that Jane hated to be shushed but somehow Maura got away with it every time.

"Shh you two, there she is." The doctor tried to contain her excitement as her daughter stepped closer to the stage as she waited for her name to be called.

"Norman Mitchell Radcliffe." The principal announced and the young man in front of Franky stepped up and shook his hand. "Francesca Dorothea Rizzoli-Isles."

"Woo Franky!" Jane called out, pumping her fist and clapping. Several parents surrounding them gave her upset looks. She ignored them, not bothered at all.

Once the rest of the class were up on stage, Jane and Maura were pleasantly surprised when their daughter was announced valedictorian and took the microphone to give her speech. She hadn't told either of them and they couldn't quite contain their tears.

\---

"Bub, do you want to take these?" Jane held up Franky's well-worn baseball glove and ball.

The tall girl agonised over the decision for a few minutes and shook her head. "I- um, I don't think I'll be playing much baseball in California, Ma." She sadly stated as she packed her clothing into a large suitcase.

Maura stood at the doorway of her eldest child's room, smiling affectionately at the interaction between the two women. Jane had been practically living in Franky's back pocket since she had started packing over a week ago. Their daughter had been very understanding and had allowed the hovering.

"Dinner is ready, my loves."

Jane looked up at the doctor standing in the doorway. "Thanks, baby."

"Be there in a minute, Mom." Franky fought tears knowing it would be the last time her mother would be coming to her bedroom to call her for dinner for a while.

\---

"Are you sure you need your Mom to go with you?" Jane whined at her daughter. "Ooof." She tightened her abdominals as she received a backhand to the stomach from her wife.

"Jane!"

"Yes, I need my Mommy." Franky wrapped her arms around the smaller woman and kissed the side of her head. They both giggled and Jane and Alexis rolled their eyes.

"Get your own wife. I need mine." The detective pouted and retrieved the suitcases out of the back of her car. She started to wheel Maura's into the airport and claimed the doctor's hand, kissing the back of it.

"I plan to one day, Mama." Franky received her luggage and followed her parents and sister into the terminal.

"If I ever find someone that's as good to me as Mom is to you, I'll find one too, Ma." Lexi confessed with a mischievous grin.

They got to the check in counter and put the luggage through. The family made their way to the security entrance and Franky turned to Alexis and hugged her sister goodbye.

Jane wrapped Maura up in her arms and kissed her tenderly. "You swear you'll be home by Friday?"

The ME grasped her wife's face in her hands and kissed her again. "Of course, darling. Three days is plenty of time to help. You've survived longer without me." She grinned at the adorable pouty face.

"Fine. But if we starve to death, you'll have to deal with Frost and Korsak investigating and you'll likely go to prison for neglect." Jane joked and received a scoff in response.

"Oh my god, Ma. That's way too dramatic, even for you." Alexis groaned at her mother. "Mom, are you sure you want to leave me with her? I think we might actually starve."

Maura laughed at both of them and kissed the detective once more before letting go to pull her daughter into her arms. "I cooked enough for four days. It's all in the freezer. Your Nonna is also just on the other side of town and is always happy to cook for you both. Love you, honey." She kissed the dark head.

"Love you too, Mom."

"Ok, kiddo. See you in about nine months. I'm so proud of you." Jane crumbled and shed a few tears. Franky just nodded and held her mother tightly.

"Love you, Ma."

"Love you too, bub." Jane let go and watched as her eldest child walked towards the security gates. "Bye baby. I love you."

"Love you too, darling. See you in a few days." Maura blew her girls a kiss and followed Franky to the TSA clearance.

\---

"Oh wow, Mom! This place is amazing!" Franky spun around in her new apartment just outside of campus, amazed that her parents had purchased it for her.

"I'm so happy that you like it, sweetie." Maura looked at her watch. "The furniture should be arriving within the hour. We can set up the bedroom first so we have somewhere to sleep. They have my number so, why don't we go for a quick walk and get a coffee?"

"Oh, you read my mind."

"Easy to do. You're just like your Mama." Maura smiled affectionately and followed her daughter back outside.

They decided to try the closest Stanford campus cafe and lined up for their coffees. As they got closer to placing their order, Franky locked her gaze with a beautiful redhead with bright green eyes and blushed. She looked away quickly and back again when she thought the young woman wasn't looking anymore. She was wrong. The redheaded barista met her eyes again and smiled shyly.

"Oooh, she's cute." Her Mom gave her a little jab in the ribs. "Ok, what are you having, sweetheart?"

"Oh, uh." Franky's eyes snapped up to look at the menu. "Just a latte." She looked back to the barista but was disappointed to see she had gone back to her task.

Maura ordered and paid, and the pair stood to the side waiting.

Franky searched behind the counter but couldn't see the young woman who had captured her attention.

"Um, hi!" The redhead had just finished her shift and decided to be bold and approach the dark haired stranger.

Maura bit her lip to suppress her laughter and gave her daughter a discrete push in the back to respond.

"Oh, hi- hey. Sorry. I'm um, I'm Franky."

"Emily." The shorter woman replied and held out her hand. "You're new here, right?"

"Uh, you could tell by?" The brunette trailed her question off, not sure why she stood out so much as a newcomer.

"I would have noticed you before, I think." Emily smiled gently. "I've been working here for three years now."

"Oh cool. Yeah. Um, I'm just starting here, I mean- Not here at the cafe but at Stanford- Uh, starting next month."

"Oh cool. What are you studying?" Emily was genuinely interested.

"Psychology. Are you studying here too?"

"Yeah. I'm becoming a Paediatrician."

Franky became absorbed in the conversation and forgot about her mother for a minute. When Maura retrieved their drinks, she handed Franky hers and smiled politely at the redhead.

Emily's eyes widened slightly at the older woman, not having a clue how she fit in the scenario but saw that she was definitely familiar with her new acquaintance.

"Oh, Emily! Sorry, this is my Mom, Maura Rizzoli-Isles." Franky introduced her mother with a soft smile. "Mom, this is Emily um-"

The young woman's eyes widened even more when she understood that this impeccably dressed woman Franky's mother. "Oh um, wow. You don't look old enough to be Franky's Mom! I'm Emily Flanagan. It's lovely to meet you Mrs Rizzoli-Isles."

"It's actually doctor." Franky corrected but the ME cut her off.

"No, it's just Maura. It's lovely to meet you too, Emily. Would you like to join us?" Maura made her way to a seat when the redhead nodded and they sat down to finish their drinks.

Just as they sat, Maura's phone rang. She looked at Franky apologetically and then smirked when she realised who was calling. "It's your mother." She informed her daughter and Franky rolled her eyes. The doctor stood up from her seat and answered the call. "Hi, baby." She greeted before she was out of earshot and wandered outside so she could hear.

"Your mother?" Emily questioned with an excited smile.

"Yeah." Franky answered proudly. "I have two Moms."

"That's so awesome! I wish I did." Emily claimed. She hadn't spoken to her parents since she had confessed to being a lesbian. They were highly religious and had exiled her from their family four years ago when she had graduated from high school.

"Yeah, they're pretty great." The brunette declared happily. She often forgot how lucky she was to have parents that were so understanding and supportive in everything that she did.

Maura came back a few minutes later and sat back down with a smile.

"Have they burned down the house yet?" Franky asked jokingly.

The doctor closed her eyes for a moment to contain her mirth. "Neither of them could figure out how to use the microwave to heat up the meals I prepared."

"Oh jeez. Idiots." They both laughed and Emily questioned about the 'them' mentioned. She learned about Alexis and heard a few more stories about their family before the Rizzoli-Isles women had to leave to meet Franky's furniture delivery.

The two younger women exchanged numbers and promised to meet up again soon.

\---

"Mmm, honey wait." Maura whispered against the unrelenting lips and grabbed at Jane's wandering hands. "Is Lex home?"

The detective captured her wife's mouth again and ran her tongue across her bottom lip, causing Maura to moan with want.

"No. Friend's place." Was breathed out before Jane's mouth parted wider and claimed Maura's again, more forcefully. She somehow managed to get the doctor to the living room and her shirt off before she had even registered Jane's answer.

The back of the honey blonde's legs hit the couch and she fell gracefully onto the cushions. Her legs parted automatically to accommodate the long body that she pulled on top of her.

"Take this off." Maura demanded between kisses, pushing up the BPD t-shirt. Jane broke their embrace for a moment to tug the top off, revealing a lack of bra. Maura groaned and ran her hands over her wife's chest, massaging the soft flesh and shifting so that the long fingers could undo the buttons of her black jeans.

"For fuck's sake." Jane growled and pulled her attention away from Maura's neck. "Why don't your jeans have a zipper?" The doctor giggled and reached down to take over, unbuttoning her pants swiftly.

The detective peeled the tight jeans from the creamy legs and Maura kicked them the rest of the way off, leaving herself in emerald green lace that Jane was itching to remove. The detective quickly shed her own jeans and lay back on top of the smaller body.

"Ohh, darling. You feel— soo wonderful." Maura purred in satisfaction. Her hands ran down the naked back and seized the firm backside.

Jane's pelvis moved involuntarily harder into her wife's and she placed open mouthed kisses along her neck. "Mmm, I missed you, baby." She unclasped the lacy bra and pulled at it impatiently, moving her kisses further down, encouraged by the doctor's hands tangling in her curly hair.

"Ohh, I missed you too. Mmmm… Oh Jane." Maura moaned loudly as her nipple was teased by soft lips and a wet tongue. "Mm, kiss me, love."

"I am." Jane smiled around puckered flesh and continued her ministrations.

"Jaaane." The doctor groaned and pulled at her wife's hair, bringing her back up to meet her lips. Their breasts pressed together, causing them to moan into each other's mouths.

They stripped off the last barrier between them and Jane slipped her leg between the two shorter ones, starting a well-known rhythm. Her knee bent and her thigh raised slightly higher, making contact with Maura's core. "Fuck." She whispered softly at the wetness that coated her leg. "Babe, you're so wet." She groaned and ran her hand down to meet the slickness.

"Ohh god. Yesss." Maura's kisses became more sloppy as she pushed her hips up, trying to gain relief.

Jane smiled against the mouth that was devouring hers, groaning as the blonde's tongue forced itself to tangle with hers again. Maura's hand clumsily reached between them and found the detective's opening. She wasted no time pushing two fingers inside, her thumb resting on a hardened nub, begging for release. "Mmmm." Jane knew she wouldn't take long.

Their bodies moved in a frenzy, climax impending. "Oh, oh, Jane! Yes, baby. Mmm, inside. Inside me. Ohh fuuck." Maura let out a strangled whisper as long fingers reached inside of her, gathering more wetness, and then retreated to coat her clit. It drove her out of her mind.

Jane repeated the motion several more times, rocking herself against the doctor's fingers until she couldn't hold off anymore. "Ohh, Maur! I'm gonna-"

"Mmm, right with you, baby." Maura panted against her wife's mouth. She sped up her hand's motions and felt the body above her tense. She looked up to watch Jane come undone. "God you're sexy." She felt her own orgasm begin as the brunette came down from hers, the body on top of her becoming heavy but the hand didn't stop its movements. "Ohhh, ohhh fuuck." Maura's body quaked with tremors from her intense release.

They both lay spent, getting their breathing back to normal.

"I love it when you swear." Jane whispered into Maura's sweaty throat and kissed the scar there. She opened her mouth to suck on the still rapidly beating pulse point. "Wanna take this upstairs?"

"Mmhmm." Maura nodded, her weak arms wound around the detective's neck. Jane lifted the nude body up into her arms, and toned legs wrapped around her slim waist.

"Hang on." Jane had to pause at the dining table, placing the ME on it momentarily to refocus her strength. Maura giggled at her weak-kneed wife and yelped when she was hoisted back up and carried upstairs with ease.

\---

"Hi sweetie!" Maura waved at her iPad's screen excitedly as she placed it upright against the fruit bowl on the kitchen bench. She sipped her coffee and gave her eldest child a huge dimpled smile.

"Hi, Mom." Franky smiled back at her adorable mother. Her smile widened when Jane came into view. "Mama! I haven't spoken to you in weeks!"

"Hey bub, I'm sorry. Work's been a bitch." The detective commented as she leaned over Maura's shoulder.

Jane and Franky chuckled when the expected reprimand came instantly.

"Jane!" Maura scolded her wife. Her upset dissipated in .5 of a second when long arms wrapped around her from behind.

"Sorry, baby… It's true though." The detective kissed the blonde head and rested her head on the smaller woman's shoulder, smiling at the screen.

"I suppose it is true. Work has been difficult. We had a terrible case last week involving missing children and- well, you know how tough those ones are." Maura explained. "How are you, sweetheart? We miss you so much." Jane nodded in agreement.

"I miss you guys too." Franky fought the tears. It never got easier. She missed her parents like crazy but was so happy with where she currently was. "School is great… Umm, I've made a few friends." She grinned like an idiot and her mothers knew what the besotted look was for right away.

"Uh huh. Just friends?" Jane asked suggestively.

"Well, actually- uh, Mom, remember Emily?"

Maura nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, the cute redhead. Emily Flanagan."

"Uh yeah, so um- we've kinda been dating…" Franky confessed and went red at the grins her mothers were giving her.

"That's wonderful, darling!" Maura fought the urge to clap her hands. She had liked Emily and had suspected that the young woman had held some interest in her daughter.

"How long have you been dating?" Jane asked, wanting to know all of the details.

"Just a couple of months."

"And you're only telling us now?!" The Italian's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

Maura rolled her eyes at the dramatic outburst and Franky couldn't help but laugh.

"Sorry, Ma. Um, actually, this might make you happy… I was calling to see if you would mind if Emily came with me to visit for summer break?"

"Of course she can, sweetie." The doctor answered immediately.

"I guess so… But, just coz you're at university now, doesn't mean you're sleepin' in the same bed together! You've got your own place for that."

Franky burst out laughing, slightly embarrassed but mostly entertained by her Ma.

Maura turned slightly in the taller woman's arms to look at her. "Oh my god, Jane. She's a grown woman. If she wants to sleep with her girlfriend she-" She was cut off when Jane proceeded to put her fingers in her ears and gave her wife a horrified look.

"No- nooope! My daughter doesn't 'sleep' with anyone-"

Maura turned back to the screen. "Don't listen, darling. If you want Emily in your room with you, you can." She laughed at the gagging sounds Jane was making.

"Umm, thanks Mom." Franky giggled and bit her lip. "I actually- well, we haven't um-"

"Had sex?" The doctor finished for her.

"Uh yeah. I- I need some advice." The young woman went red at the confession.

"Ok, I'm out. Love you, bub. I'll call later and we can chat about not sex-related stuff." Jane called out and ran upstairs.

"Bye Mama. Love you!" Franky shook her head in disbelief. "Why is it not embarrassing when it's you guys but she can't handle it with me or Lex?"

"Your mother is a very complex woman, darling. I have no idea how her mind works with certain topics. Well actually, I know exactly how her mind works regarding sex but-"

"Ok, Mom, TMI. Can you just help me figure out if I should sleep with Emily or not?"

"Oh honey, Lex has been saying that to me for the last week but I have no idea what TMI means…"

"Too much information, Mom."

"Oh! Ok, that makes sense. Anyway, regarding your question… Only you know if you're ready to have sex. I know that Emily would be your first. Can you see yourself with her for a long time? How is she different from Chelsea? Make sure you discuss long-term goals so that you know if you're on the same page."

"I don't want to freak her out, Mom. All of that sounds so serious."

"It is, sweetie. I wasn't very cautious and enjoyed discovering myself in a sexual context from an early age but you are your mother's daughter and it has a lot more meaning for you than it did for me. You need to make the decision that is right for you… Regardless, you will have sex eventually with someone, you may as well have it with the cute redhead that you're attracted to!" Maura chuckled and Franky laughed with her.

"That's a good point and I am sooo attracted to her."

"Tell me more about her. I can fill your mother in and hopefully it will stop her from interrogating you both when you come home for summer break."

\---

Alexis raced down the stairs at the sound of the front door opening. Her shoulders slumped when she realised it was just Maura getting home from work.

"Hi baby, how was your day?" The doctor asked her sixteen year old.

"Umm, good. Do you want a tea?" Lexi walked back towards the kitchen, hoping her Mom didn't realise how anxious she was.

"That sounds wonderful, darling." Maura put her purse away and untucked the white shirt from her dark grey skirt. She was about to join Alexis in the kitchen when the front door opened behind her. She turned and teared up instantly. "Francesca!" The doctor reached for her daughter and was wrapped up in long arms. "Oh sweetie! I didn't know you were coming home today!" She grasped the tanned face in her hands and kissed her on the cheek.

"Mmm, hey Mom." Franky snuggled her mother contentedly and let go to allow her guest inside. "Mom, you remember Emily." The brunette placed an arm around the smaller woman's shoulders.

"Of course! Hello Emily, it's so wonderful to see you again."

"You too, Maura."

"Franky!" Alexis bellowed and grabbed her sister in a tight squeeze. The siblings took a moment to reacquaint themselves and Franky introduced Emily. "I'm just making Mom a tea. Do you guys want something?"

The four women moved further into the house and sat at the dining table.

"Lex, sit down, sweetie. I'll make the tea for everyone." Maura offered and clicked her way into the kitchen.

Emily raised an eyebrow at the high heels, remembering the woman's penchant for fashion but she hadn't realised it was a full time thing.

Franky chuckled at Emily face. "Are you checking my Mom out?" She teased and wrapped her arm back around the redhead's shoulders.

Emily looked at her in shock. "Oh! Gosh, no, Franky! I just can't believe she's wearing those around the house." She whispered and pointed at the four inch heels.

"Oh yeah, she loooves her shoes." Alexis declared with a chuckle.

Franky's eyes widened happily at the sound of the front door opening.

Jane walked in oblivious to anyone else in the house and headed straight for the doctor. "Hey baby." The taller woman grasped the blonde's hips from behind, pushing her own into the firm backside, and kissing the side of her neck.

"Mama!" Franky stepped into the kitchen a moment after and laughed at the look of surprise on her mother's face.

The pair embraced tightly and for a long moment. When they pulled back, both sets of dark brown eyes were watery. "Gosh, I've missed you kiddo."

"I've missed you too, Ma." Franky led her away from the kitchen and over to her girlfriend. "I want you to meet Emily. Em, this is my Ma, Jane."

"Hi Jane." Emily gave a shy smile and held out her hand.

"Hey Emily. Nice to meet you." The detective smiled charmingly at the young woman and winked at her daughter. "So, not that I'm complainin' but when did you make plans to come home so early? I thought we weren't gonna see you for another week?" Jane asked as she sat down at the table.

As Franky answered, Maura came over with a tray of cups and placed them down on the table. She allowed Jane to pull her onto her lap and received a quick kiss to the lips.

The family sat around for the next half an hour enjoying one another's company and hearing about Franky's time in school. They were all excited to have the fourth Rizzoli-Isles family member home for the next four weeks.

\---

"Maura, I'm finished for the day. You ready to head home?" The detective stuck her head and shoulders into the doctor's doorway, keeping the rest of her body out of sight.

The ME looked up from her laptop to answer her wife and frowned in concern at the weary look on her face. "Oh, darling. Bad day?" Maura stood up and gathered her things.

"Uh yeah… I'll meet you at the car." Jane called out and raced off as best she could with the gash across the top of her thigh.

"Jane, wait!" Maura shook her head as she locked her office door and followed the brunette to the carpark. She watched as the detective practically threw herself into the driver's seat, obviously trying to avoid making eye contact.

Jane quickly placed her jacket across her lap to hide her injury and the ripped pants.

The doctor gracefully settled herself into the passenger seat and gave her wife a disgruntled look. "What on earth is the matter with you?" She folded her arms, annoyed at Jane's behaviour. She took in the rumpled, dirty shirt.

"Sorry babe, I'm just desperate for a shower. Had to tackle a suspect." Jane reached over and caressed Maura's bare knee before starting the car.

"You do smell." The doctor scrunched her nose up at the horrible stench invading the car.

They pulled into the driveway and Jane had a mini panic about getting out of the car. "Uh, you go inside. I'm gonna park in the garage and air the car out." She was quite impressed with her quick thinking.

"Ok." Maura got out of the car and Jane lowered her window, wolf whistling as she watched the doctor's retreating form all the way to the front door. The blonde looked back over her shoulder suggestively and stepped through the front door.

Tidying herself up as best she could, Jane entered the house and attempted to not limp. She took the silence as an indication that no one was downstairs and relaxed a little as she stepped into the kitchen to clean up her leg.

"Jane Rizzoli-Isles!"

"Ahh!"

Maura tried not to laugh at the busted look on Jane's face and the very girly squeal that sounded when she realised she was caught. She looked down at Jane's ripped pants and the bloody mess that surrounded it and stared at her wife in absolute amazement. "What the hell happened?!" She rushed to the detective and reached for her leg.

Jane moved it out of her reach and captured the smaller hands with her own. "I'm fine. Just a scratch." She pulled the blonde in close and captured her lips, trying to distract her.

"Mm, no Jane. Mmm. Stop- it." Maura ducked her head to avoid the relentless kisses and lifted it again when she thought it was safe. "Sweetheart, you're hurt. Let me see!" She pouted and was too slow in avoiding another kiss.

Jane's hands wound their way into golden locks and she kissed Maura more forcefully. "I'm. fine." She pressed the doctor's back into the bench and widened her mouth to deepen their kiss. The doctor finally relented with a moan and placed her hands on the slim hips that were pressed tightly against her own. Her hands wandered down to the toned ass and she caressed it lovingly.

A throat cleared from the other side of the counter but it didn't break the make out session up. "Guys! Seriously?!" Franky's voice sounded from somewhere.

The couple begrudgingly separated their lips and turned to face their daughter. They moved their bodies apart when they realised her girlfriend was present.

Franky caught her Ma's smirk before she ducked her head and mumbled an apology. "Sorry bub."

Maura wasn't fazed in the slightest. "Hi girls. How was your day?" She asked as she put the kettle on and grabbed a cup from the cupboard.

"Good. How was work?"

The question prompted the doctor about her wife's injury. The taller woman was standing right next to her and she was able to discretely assess the damage. Her eyes widened comically and she spun around, poking a finger at Jane's chest. "You said you were fine!"

Jane raised her hands in defence and stepped backwards. "Baby, I—"

Maura looked back down at the gash. "That is not fine." She stated calmly. "Upstairs. Pants off and on the bed. Now!" She commanded and Jane couldn't help being turned on a little.

"Ok, ok! I'm goin'." She winked at her daughter and hobbled up the stairs, Maura following right behind her.

"I'm so sorry, Em!" Franky was highly amused at her parents' antics but knew that not everyone thought they were as endearing as she did.

"Please don't apologise, Franky. They're just— gosh, they're the best! You're so lucky to have them." The smaller woman gushed and wrapped her arms around her tall girlfriend's waist. She tilted her head up and received a quick kiss. "So, what happened to your Ma?" She asked as they settled on the couch, snuggled up with one another.

Franky groaned in sympathy for her Ma. "No idea but I'm sure she's payin' for it now."

"Does that happen often?"

"What? Her getting hurt?" Franky shrugged at Emily's nod. "Uh, not really but she's had a few really terrible cases where she's been hurt really badly. My Mom's anxiety goes through the roof."

"I bet it does. They seem so in love, Franky." Emily noted wistfully.

"They are. They'd be lost without each other." She smiled tenderly and kissed Emily again, just because she could.

"Well, at least one of us is getting kisses." Jane grumbled as she limped over and slumped her body onto the opposite couch. She was wearing a pair of short shorts, an old t-shirt, and the middle of her thigh sported several stitches.

"Aww Mama, what happened?" Franky smiled at her mother affectionately.

"Had to chase a perp today. The fucker pulled a- oh, sorry Emily." She realised she had sworn and Emily waved it off. "Umm, the dirtbag pulled a knife and swiped at my leg."

"Ohh, ouch." The redhead winced at the story.

"Is Mom more pissed that you got hurt or that your expensive suit got slashed?" Franky asked with a mischievous grin.

"What kind of a question is that, Francesca?" Maura questioned her daughter as she stomped into the living room with a bandage for her wife's leg.

"Sorry Mom. I was just kidding."

The doctor huffed as she kneeled before Jane and carefully dressed the stitched up leg.

Franky watched the interaction with a knowing smile. Her Mom always started mad but she predicted that within moments the couple would be kissing and forget that there was anyone else in the room.

The young brunette pulled Emily closer and kissed the side of her head. "They'll make up in about thirty seconds." She whispered into her ear with a chuckle. They young couple sat and conversed softly but the redhead couldn't help but observe Franky's parents' interaction intently.

Jane reached her hand out and cautiously ran her fingers through Maura's hair. Gently at first but when she wasn't rejected, she leaned forward and placed her other hand on the doctor's face and cupped her under the chin.

Maura finished taping the gauze in place and allowed her face to be guided up to look into pitiful dark eyes. She stayed still as Jane closed the distance between them, capturing her lips in an apologetic kiss.

"I'm sorry, baby." The detective whispered against Maura's mouth and claimed it again, pulling the still kneeling body between her legs. The doctor pressed her body in close and slid her hands around her wife's waist, deepening their kiss and letting herself release some of the anxiety she had been carrying since she realised Jane was hurt.

"Ok, you two. You need to go upstairs if you're gonna make up any more." Franky teased.

Jane smirked at her daughter. "I'm giving you the best lesson you'll ever get right now."

Maura rolled her eyes and kissed the detective on the cheek. She stood up and ran her hand along Jane's face affectionately. "I'll be upstairs waiting, my love." She winked and left the room.

Jane laughed at her daughter's groan and stood up. "Ok kiddos. Um, I think we're retiring for the evening." She kissed both of the girls' heads without thinking and missed the look of wonder on Emily's face at receiving such affection.


	13. Chapter 13

The following summer, Franky brought Emily along with her on their family vacation to the South of France.

Jane and Maura had decided their family deserved it and justified it as a celebration of several things. The couple had celebrated their twenty first wedding anniversary earlier in the year, marking almost twenty three years together. Franky and Emily had been dating for one year since March. Emily had turned twenty-one. And, Alexis had graduated high school and received an acceptance letter into Harvard's law school.

They had plenty to celebrate.

Angela had convinced them that she needed time away too and they had agreed to let her tag along. Emily had been the opposite, trying to get out of it, completely overwhelmed by the generosity of Franky's parents. Maura had called her and given her a stern but loving lecture about being a part of their family and that if she loved her daughter, then she would accept the gift and join them.

Franky had teased her girlfriend about getting the famous Maura Isles admonishment and tried to appease her, letting her know that no one was immune. Once the redhead had accepted that she was going, she began getting excited. Even more so than Franky. She had never been outside of the US before.

Their car pulled up at the Isles' holiday residence in Marseille and spotted the Isles matriarch already waiting anxiously outside for their arrival.

"Bonjour, mon chéri." The immaculately dressed woman greeted her daughter with a kiss to each cheek. "Hello, Jane. Angela! So wonderful that you could join us." Constance greeted them both with affection.

"Hey, Constance." Jane hugged Maura's mother quickly and moved out of the way so she could see her grandchildren.

The hazel eyes observed the two young women proudly and smiled widely at them, moving to embrace them tightly. She had not seen them for a few years.

"Bonjour, grandmère!" They both clung to the smaller woman affectionately.

"Vous avez tous les deux grandi si grand!" (You have both grown so tall!) She looked up at them and looked to Jane. "They look so much like you, Jane!" She stated in disbelief.

Maura wrapped an arm around her wife and looked up at her with adoration. "Yes, they really do!" She received a kiss and smiled happily at her love.

"Grandmère, I want you to meet my girlfriend, Emily." Franky introduced the short redhead.

"Hello, Emily." The older woman smiled politely at her. "Pleasure to meet you." The young woman was overwhelmed but was lucid enough to respond in kind and sighed in relief when greetings and introductions were out of the way.

The family entered the large five bedroom house and Emily and Angela gaped in awe.

"Oh my god, Franky. This is incredible!" Emily gushed as she twirled in a circle, taking in the beauty of the home.

"Yeah, wait til you see our room!"

"Oh, hell no, Franky! I'm taking the eastern bedroom!" Alexis argued and the two young women raced to beat each other to it.

Jane bellowed with laughter and clapped Emily gently on the back. "It has the best view and is the furthest away from our room." She pulled her wife in closer to get the message across to the younger woman.

"Oh, ha ha!" Emily laughed knowingly.

"I don't wanna listen to my daughter have sex any more than you do, Jane Rizzoli-Isles! You better put me in a room away from you two." Angela glared at her daughter jokingly and Constance chuckled along with her.

"Angela, you have nothing to worry about. We had a guest house built in the backyard by the swimming pool. Jane and Maura can reside in that for the two weeks." Constance assured her.

"Excellent!" Jane exclaimed and claimed Maura's hand, pulling her towards the back door.

\---

"Good morning, Emily." Maura's chirpy voice sounded as she walked through the back door, entering the kitchen.

"Good morning, Maura." The young woman looked up from her book that she was reading whilst sitting at the dining table, surprised to see anyone else up at the early hour. She took in the soft purple silk slip and matching darker robe, amazed that even in her pyjamas, the doctor looked like a model.

"Would you like a coffee?" Maura asked.

"That would be amazing! I couldn't figure out how to work the machine." Emily confessed.

"Oh dear. The barista doesn't know how to work the French coffee machine!" The blonde teased and smiled affectionately at her daughter's girlfriend.

Emily watched as the ME expertly handled the machine and made their coffees. Maura handed the redhead hers and sat down at the table. She perused the magazines and selected one that she thought might be interesting.

"Do you normally wake up early?" Emily asked as she casually watched the woman across from her read the fashion magazine.

Maura looked up at her and nodded with a smile. "Yes, I love the quiet of the morning. And you?"

"Yeah, same. I love my quiet, alone time."

"I'm sure that you don't get much of that with Franky. She is exactly like her mother, a clingy, grumbling bear until she gets her coffee."

"Oh yeah! Even if she's had a good night's rest!"

"Uh huh. If she's like her mother, she's like that even if you've had sex the night before. It doesn't matter the circumstances, she's still a bear until coffee." Maura chuckled but she wasn't joined this time. She looked up and noticed the blushing face across from her. "Oh goodness. I overshared, didn't I? I'm so sorry, Emily. I don't mean-"

"No, no! I- It's fine. I'm just- not used to being around someone so, um- relaxed about that stuff." She confessed, embarrassed at her reaction.

"I'm a doctor, sweetheart. There is nothing that really fazes me." Maura winked and looked back down at her magazine.

"Mornin'" Franky rasped and leaned over to kiss Emily on the head and then her Mom. She slowly made her way over to the coffee machine and made herself two cups. Sitting down with her coffees, she shrugged at her girlfriend's scoff and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Hi, darling. Lex still sleeping?" The ME asked, expecting the answer to be yes.

"Uh huh."

They all looked up when the backdoor opened and a disheveled looking Jane stumbled into the house, rubbing her eyes and frowning. She tugged at her tank top and straightened her sleep shorts as she shuffled her bare feet over to her wife and placed herself sideways on Maura's lap, curling herself into the smaller body as best as she could.

The doctor's arms wrapped around the waist of the taller body expertly, having dealt with this many times before. She kissed Jane's jaw. "Good morning, my love."

"Mmph." Jane groaned in annoyance and nuzzled her wife's hair.

It was rather humorous and the young women couldn't quite contain their mirth at the sight.

The detective ignored the sniggering coming from the opposite side of the table and whined at Maura. "Why are you out of bed so early when we're on vacation?" She pulled back and frowned at the humorous look she was receiving. "Baaaby, don't look at me like that!" The brunette laid her head back down and grouched under her breath.

"How am I supposed to look at you, darling? You're 43 years of age, 5'10", and sitting on my lap whining like a toddler." Maura claimed with affection. "You're adorable and I love you." She kissed Jane's throat tenderly when she got no response and looked across the table at the couple laughing at them. "What are you two planning to do today?"

"I wanna take Em to do some basic sightseeing. Perhaps go to the Old Port."

"Can we go back to bed?" Jane begged and slipped off her wife's lap to make herself a coffee. "I dunno how to use this contraption."

"Sit down, baby. I'll make you a coffee." Maura got up and pushed Jane back in the direction of the table. The detective smiled triumphantly, raising her eyebrow at her daughter.

"Mom, you're such a sucker." Franky joked and then clarified at her mother's scandalised look. "I meant for Mama!" It didn't make it sound any better. "Oh my god and I thought Ma was the one with the dirty mind… She totally manipulated you into making her coffee just now."

Realisation dawned on Maura's face. "Oh, goodness. The things you say, Francesca! I honestly thought you were referring to how much I enjoy performing cunn—mmph-" Jane leaped up from the table as soon as she realised where her wife was heading and clamped a hand over her mouth.

Franky groaned and forced her face into Emily's neck, wanting to disappear. The redhead went red too as she realised what Maura was referring to but the hilarity overcame it and she laughed loudly. "Oh my gosh. I can't breathe!"

"TMI, babe!" The detective chortled uncontrollably and wrapped her arms around the petite woman's waist. "Oh man, that was the best." She kissed the doctor on the shoulder and let go again.

"Sorry." Maura claimed without any remorse. She finished making Jane's coffee and placed it on the table, reversing their earlier positions. She settled in Jane's lap and wrapped her arms around her neck. She looked to Franky. "I know your mother knows how to use the coffee maker. I enjoy taking care of her."

Jane's hand instinctively traced up and down the silk-clad back and her other retrieved her cup. Life was so good for her right now. "Your Mom is not easily manipulated, Franky. You should know better." Jane teased as she sipped her coffee.

"You two are just… the worst!" The dark haired young woman joked back and stood up. "Ok, I don't think I can handle any more of you both this morning. Em, wanna go and get ready?"

"Sure." The redhead got up and grasped her girlfriend's hand. "See you guys later." She waved to the couple who had already become absorbed in one another and barely acknowledged their departure.

\---

"Alexis, have you packed your bag yet?" Maura's panicked voice sounded from the other side of the closed bedroom door.

"Yes, Mom! Jeez. Our flight isn't for another few hours." The almost twenty-year-old yelled back and threw her book into her backpack. She opened the door and looked at her mother with some irritation.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I'm anxious to see your sister." The doctor carried her bag downstairs and smiled at her wife. Jane had been packed and ready since 7am that morning.

"Wow, what's wrong with you that you're awake already?!" Lexi teased her Ma and got a chuckle in response.

"I haven't been to sleep yet."

"Seriously? Did you catch a case?"

"Uh huh. Last night. I'll sleep on the plane."

"I can't believe our baby is graduating!" Maura's excited voice sounded beside them and Jane smiled affectionately at the blonde.

\---

The family arrived and got to Franky's apartment, exhausted. There had been a crying baby on their flight and the only one of them who got any rest was Jane, who had zonked out as soon as the plane took off.

The next day they watched Franky and Emily graduate and spent the better part of the afternoon waiting for the young women to finish saying farewell to their fellow students.

Later that evening they went out for dinner. Once the meal was consumed and they were all in a relaxed state, Franky gained her family's attention.

"Uh, guys, umm- I want to thank you for coming to my graduation. I—"

"Of course, bub. We wouldn't miss your graduation!" Jane butted in and raised her beer bottle to her daughter.

"I know. I still wanted to thank you. I am so blessed to have you both and I think you know how much I love you… Anyway, I uh-" Franky looked to Emily and got an imperceptible nod to continue. "Uh, I'll just get to the point." She looked at her Mom and realised the genius woman had already figured it out, a full dimpled smile aimed at her and Emily. Her Ma and sister weren't as clued in. "Em asked me to marry her and I said yes!" She blurted her announcement out and laughed in relief.

Maura squealed in delight and Jane jumped up to hug them both. Alexis shared her happiness for her older sibling and then asked for her to pass the bread. The doctor grabbed at both girls' hands to see their rings.

"They're beautiful! I'm so excited to have another doctor in the family!"

"Um, I also got a job offer. Uh- it's in Boston." Her parents' reaction was exactly as she expected it to be. They smiled happily and then they both cried, holding each other.

"That's the best news, Franky!" Jane declared through her tears.

"Are you going to move too, Emily? There are plenty of Paediatrician jobs in Boston." Maura inquired. She was concerned about their relationship if it was going to be by long distance.

"Yes. We're going to get an apartment and move in together. I mean, we practically live together now so, I think we can manage. I have applied for a few jobs and feel hopeful about getting one." The twenty-four year old shared and looked at Franky with such devotion.

"You could sell your apartment here, Franky, and perhaps get something in Boston for the both you? It should have increased significantly in value and if you need more money to get something decent in Boston, your mother and I will cover it, ok sweetheart?" Maura offered with ease. Jane simply nodded and wrapped an arm around her wife's shoulders.

Emily's eyes widened in shock. She turned to her fiancée. "You own your apartment?!"

"Um, yeah. I uh, my parents got it for me when I started school."

"Oh my goodness! That's so- so generous." Emily claimed, completely overwhelmed at the information.

"I like her even more now, Franky." Jane teased. "At least we know she's not after your money. Any chance you want your sister to move in with you both?" The brunette joked and winked at the couple.

"Hey!" Alexis piped in and swatted at her mother. "That's not nice!" She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Alexis Clementine Rizzoli-Isles!" Jane bit her smirk back and continued. "You're almost twenty. You need to go and find your independence."

"I don't want to. I get fed and clothed for free. It's way better than independence."

"What if your Mom and I start having really loud sex?" Jane spoke as though she was trying to barter with her teen.

"Jane!" Maura reprimanded.

"You can't- that's not fair! Besides you already do that. That's what Jesus invented headphones for!" Alexis retorted back.

Jane groaned in defeat.

"Ok, I'm going to pay the bill and then we can go back to your place and look at wedding dresses online!" Maura clapped her hands together in excitement and waved down a waiter.

"Ma?!" Franky whispered out the side of her mouth. "No, dress shopping yet, please?" She begged and Jane nodded at her, happy to sidetrack the doctor to help her daughter out.

When the group got up and left the restaurant, Jane wrapped her arm around Maura's neck and pulled her in close, whispering against her lips. "I was thinking we could ditch Lex with the girls and get a room for the night." She waggled her eyes suggestively and kissed the ME deeply.

Maura bit her lip in consternation when they parted. "Mmm, baby, that sounds wonderful but- well, we're here for Franky and I promised the girls that—" She was cut off by lips on hers and was pulled flush against the taller body.

"Get a room!" Franky yelled out and Jane smirked at the suggestion.

The detective raised an expectant eyebrow at Maura and the blonde nodded in surrender.

"Actually, we might do just that!" Jane called back. "Would you guys mind?"

"Um, I don't wanna know." Alexis rolled her eyes and got into Emily's car.

"Go you guys! Have fun!" Emily encouraged and giggled when Franky and Lexi predictably groaned in embarrassment.

"We will. We're gonna get a cab. Night!"

"Bye darlings!"

Jane guided the doctor to the curb and waved down a taxi. She helped Maura into the yellow vehicle and climbed in after her, quick to wrap her back up in her arms and make out until they arrived at the closest five-star hotel the driver came across.

\---

"Maura! How can you be totally calm like this?!" Jane followed her wife into the kitchen of their new, much smaller, Beacon Hill condo and watched in disbelief as the doctor casually made herself a coffee as though they hadn't just received one of the biggest pieces of news in their life so far.

Maura smiled to herself, ecstatic at the announcement. She looked at Jane's frantic state and couldn't blame her for freaking out. "Darling, I- it's such wonderful news!" She exclaimed, finally letting her face reflect her joy.

"I'm- we're not even fifty! I'm too young to be a grandparent!" Jane ran her hands through her hair. "Do they know what they're doing?! They're too young—"

Maura cut the detective off and wrapped her arms around the slim waist. "They're older than we were when we had our children, sweetheart." She kissed her jaw and then down her throat, humming in pleasure. "Em is almost twenty-seven and Franky is twenty-four. They're not too young."

"Baby, how can you- Oh my god! We were babies. Why did we have children so young?! If I had known that my babies were going to have babies this early— Wait til my Ma finds out!"

Maura didn't relinquish her hold, she pulled Jane tighter against herself and tried to ignore the number of times Jane had said 'babies'. "Darling, this is an incredible gift. I'm so excited! Just think, we get to have a newborn, a toddler, a young child, whenever we want aaaand, when we've had enough, we get to give them back!" Becoming a grandparent was definitely an exciting event to embark upon.

Jane wrapped her long arms around the honey blonde and sighed as she considered her wife's words. "Ok, fine. I'll— get to acceptance eventually. You know what would make it easier?" The detective asked mischievously.

Maura locked her hazel eyes on the deep brown ones she loved so much and slid her hands up to tangle in dark curls and felt Jane's hands rest on her backside. "What, my love?"

"If you kiss me. Like, all of the time… And you let me call you a GILF." She smirked at the doctor's confused look.

They were both distracted by the front door opening and Franky and Emily entered the house.

"Hey you two!" Franky greeted her parents and smiled at the familiar embrace that she saw them in.

"Sweetie, your mother called me a GILF. What does it mean?" Maura asked innocently and all three women roared with laughter, leaving the ME bewildered at their reaction.

"Oh, baby." Jane chuckled in sympathy. "Have you never heard the term, MILF? I swear I used to call you that all the time. It's an acronym. It stands for Grandmother I'd Like to Fu—"

Maura's hand clamped over her wife's mouth. Comprehension gradually dawned once Jane mentioned MILF. She remembered having to look it up and had come across the worst images on the internet that she had ever seen.

Jane gave her a smug smile once her face was released and she kissed the unamused face.

"It's kinda slang too, Mom. It's a compliment!" Franky shared and laughed at the unimpressed look that slowly transformed to a grin. "It means you're hot!"

"You are seriously two peas in a pod." Maura drawled with amusement.

"Actually three peas in a pod." Alexis chimed in, having heard the majority of the conversation from her room. She opened the fridge and pulled out a yoghurt tub. "I just heard back from that lady at the family attorney office. My internship got approved." She grinned happily, waiting for the whoops from her family.

"Wooo! Yes, baby!" Jane grabbed the slightly shorter woman and swung her around. She placed her back on her feet and Maura hugged her youngest daughter.

"We are so proud of you, honey!"

"I think we need to go out and celebrate!" Jane suggested and everyone agreed.

After they celebrated they made plans to get together again the following week to celebrate Jane and Maura's forty eighth birthdays. Jane added that the celebration was also for Alexis moving out of home. She could finally have loud sex and walk around the house naked without having to worry about any children present. This, of course, earned her a backhand to the stomach.

Two identical groans and giggling from Maura and Emily had Jane laughing loudly. She looked around the table with pride and wrapped an arm around her wife. "I love you." She whispered into the doctor's ear and Maura turned her head to face her detective.

"I love you too, darling. So much." They sealed their declarations with a customary tender kiss that became drawn out and deepened naturally. They smiled but didn't separate their mouths when their children, including Emily, began throwing pieces of breadstick at them.

"Ewww!"

"Get a room!"

No matter how old they got, this would hopefully never change.


	14. Chapter 14

A bonus chapter... complete fluff!

\---

"You're doing wonderfully, sweetheart." Maura cooed softly, one hand in the tight grasp of the strawberry blonde's, the other running soothingly through sweaty bangs.

"Where's— Franky?" Emily cried out as another contraction hit and she clutched her mother-in-law's hand in a crushing grip.

Maura tried not to react to the pain shooting up her forearm and attempted to calm the labouring woman. "She should be here any minute, honey." She really hoped she was right. The ME had called Jane an hour ago to pick up their eldest child from work, her car currently parked at Massachusetts General Hospital. Maura's phone rang right after she finished speaking and she pried her fingers free from the tight hold to answer.

Emily's contraction subsided and she listened intently as Maura answered her phone. "Baby, where are you? Ok. We're in— Yes, see you in a minute." A sigh followed as she ended the call and turned to look into worried green eyes. "They're just around the corner, sweetie." The doctor resumed her seat and smiled at the relief on Emily's face.

"Thank god!" She groaned as another contraction hit.

Maura offered her hand quickly and stood to coach her through another painful episode. "Shh, that's it. Breathe Em. That's it, sweetie—"

"I- I need to push. It— It's h- hurting!" The younger woman cried and squeezed the hand in hers more forcefully as another contraction started almost right on top of the other.

The ME became alarmed at how quickly the labour was progressing. Not that anything was wrong, it was just so much faster than expected. "Ok, try and hold off from pushing. I'm going to get the doctor." Maura stood to leave but Emily wouldn't let go of her hand.

"No! No, don't leave me!"

"Sweetie, you need to be assessed to see if you're ready to push. I'll be really quick." Maura slipped her hand out of the vice-like grip and ran out to get a midwife and the doctor, her high heeled feet clicked loudly across the linoleum flooring as she hurried away.

Emily focussed on breathing and then yelped as another contraction started.

"Hey there, Mrs Rizzoli-Isles." The obstetrician greeted her patient as she strolled into the room as though nothing was going on. A midwife came in right behind her and Maura followed.

Emily frowned and groaned as her contraction came to an end. She flopped back on her bed, panting and exhausted. Maura rushed back to her side with a look of sympathy and then Franky and Jane burst into the room as though it was on fire.

"Babe?!" Franky rushed to her wife's side and gave her Mom a grateful look. Jane stayed near the door, not wanting to get in the way but also not wanting to embarrass her daughter-in-law by seeing too much.

"Franky!" Emily sobbed when long arms wrapped around her shoulders, her strawberry blonde locks spilling over the taller woman's chest.

Dr Jessica Marshall interrupted the moment out of necessity as she performed a pelvic exam on the young woman. "Ok, Emily. Your cervix is fully dilated… Next contraction I need you to push, alright?"

Emily nodded and felt the painful tightening start. "Oh god." It was a strong one.

"Breathe, Em." Maura reminded her, holding her hand again.

Jane winced and stepped back outside. She had gotten a homicide call earlier that morning and had been awake since 4am. To top it off, she had to deal with Dr Popov because her wife wasn't on call. She sat just outside the room on a waiting chair and was asleep within moments.

That was where Maura found her 25 minutes later.

The doctor smiled affectionately at the sleeping woman. She sat down on the waiting chair next to her and reached for her wife's arm, careful to not startle her. "Darling?" She rubbed her thumb over the tanned hand and watched as dark eyes blinked open.

Jane took in a deep breath and leaned forward to place her forehead on Maura's shoulder and a hand on the skirt-clad thigh. "Hi, beautiful." Her lips connected with a soft neck. "How are they?" Their lips connected and Maura smiled into it, unable to contain her excitement.

"They're wonderful. We have a granddaughter!"

Jane pulled back to look into emotional hazel eyes. "Seriously?!" She grinned and kissed the nodding doctor again. "Well, what are we waiting for?" She stood and pulled Maura up with her.

"Wait, honey! We can't go in yet. Let them have some time on their own." The ME smiled at her wife's enthusiasm. She wouldn't be able to keep her at bay for long but she had promised Franky she would try. The only reason they didn't have an invasive Angela Rizzoli here, barging into the room, was because they all agreed to call her after the birth.

"Ok, ok. Did you get to hold her already?!"

"No, I barely saw her. I wanted to let them have their moment."

"I better call Ma!" The detective retrieved her phone and called her mother. After the very loud call ended, Jane sat down next to the smaller woman and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "She's on her way." She kissed the side of her wife's head and inhaled her unique scent.

Maura leaned into the firm body and nuzzled closely. She was feeling so content and beyond delighted at the birth of their granddaughter. She kissed Jane's jaw. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

The brunette smiled and claimed Maura's lips in another soft embrace. The kiss ended and naturally another started.

"Jeez guys! Typical… I come out to get you and you're necking like teenagers!" Franky joked and motioned them inside the room.

The new grandparents jumped up at their daughter's welcome and followed her into the hospital birthing suite.

Emily was sitting up, looking exhausted but beaming like any new mother would be, holding their precious little bundle. Franky sat next to her wife on the bed and received her swaddled up daughter.

"Ma, Mom, meet Scarlett Dorothea Rizzoli-Isles." She gave a proud grin at her excited parents.

"Oh, she's so beautiful!" Maura was crying. Becoming a grandparent was nothing like she imagined. She was so much more emotional than when she had her children, it was also different. She reached for the baby and Franky passed Scarlett to her grandmother.

Maura expertly cradled the tiny body to her and looked up at her hovering wife. Jane's arms wrapped around the pair and she kissed the soft dark fuzz on top of Scarlett's head. "She's so freaking tiny!" Jane exclaimed in an excited, high pitched voice. "Babe, let me hold her?" She whined and practically scooped the baby from the doctor's arms.

"Darling, watch her—"

"I got it!" Jane cradled Scarlett's head and cooed at her lovingly.

Maura took a few steps to stand next to the new parents, who were watching Jane with adoration. The detective was in a bubble with her new granddaughter but would need to be interrupted very soon. Poor Em looked like she was about to fall asleep.

"Congratulations, girls. She's so beautiful." The ME reached for her daughter's face and cradled it in her hands. She kissed her forehead and then leaned over and did the same to Emily.

Watery green eyes looked up at the doctor with gratitude. "Thanks, Mom. Thanks for being here for me."

"Anytime, sweetheart." Maura smiled fondly at the title.

As soon as thy had found out Emily was pregnant, the young woman had started calling Maura 'Mom' and Jane 'Ma'. Estranged from her family and desperate to have parents that loved and supported her, she asked if it was ok. Jane and Maura had responded positively and with so much enthusiasm, it overwhelmed her.

"Did you call Nonna?"

"Your Mama did." She gave them a quirky smile. "She's on her way."

Franky rolled her eyes but a large part of her couldn't wait to show off her daughter. She got up from the bed and walked over to her Ma. "Ok, that's enough, baby whisperer." She joked and held her hands out for Scarlett. Jane reluctantly handed the baby back and teared up at the sight of her daughter holding her granddaughter.

Franky whispered to the baby but kept eye contact with her mother. "That's your Nonna, she's very bossy." The both chuckled at that and Franky turned to give her Mom one last cuddle. "And here is your beautiful grandmère."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Jane protested lightheartedly but watched her wife reverently as she ran her nose across the baby's head and kissed it softly. She had several photos from years ago of Maura holding Franky, and several more of her holding Lex the very same way. She pulled her phone out and took a few photos of the adorable pose, and kissed Scarlett on the head once more.

Maura handed the baby back to Emily and kissed her cheek. "We're going to leave but we'll be back tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok, Mom. Thank you." Emily gratefully claimed and cuddled her baby closely. She sighed and dropped her head to Franky's shoulder, and watched as Jane and Maura left the room hand-in-hand.

As the couple exited the hospital, they bumped into an overly excited Angela with Alexis in tow. Jane gave them a stern warning to not stay long and Lex promised them that she would get her Nonna out of there well before she outwore her welcome.

They got into Maura's car and Jane started the vehicle, then reclaimed her wife's hand with a kiss to the knuckles.

They still hadn't spoken a word by the time they got home and settled into their afternoon routine. Jane changed into comfortable clothing and settled on the couch with a beer and the tv remote. Maura slipped her heels off and snuggled into the taller woman's side, running her hand over the brunette's t shirt-clad stomach. She smiled when a long arm slung over her shoulders and she received a kiss to the side of her head.

Jane took a sip of her beer and looked down at Maura cuddled into her. "I feel like the luckiest woman in the world right now." She rasped into golden hair.

The doctor looked up into the sincere dark eyes, falling in love a little more at the statement. She knew exactly why Jane was saying it and kissed her, humming with agreement. "I know the feeling, sweetheart. I can't believe we're grandparents."

Jane smirked into the bottle before taking another drink. "It's damn crazy but I think we're gonna enjoy it."

\---

"When's your last day?" Jane asked Vince, sad about his retirement but ecstatic that he had bought The Dirty Robber and they would still see him often.

"Next Friday." He beamed at her. He would miss the job but he was looking forward to some time to himself. "How is your new granddaughter?!" He chuckled as he tried to picture the tough detective holding a tiny baby.

Barry scoffed from behind his desk.

Jane paid no attention to them and smiled with pride. "She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."

"Must take after your wife then." Her partner joked from behind his computer screen.

The brunette rolled her eyes and grabbed at her phone as it started to ring. "Rizzoli. Uh huh… Oh, that's good news. Thanks." She ended the call and grabbed her jacket. "That was Popov. We got enough evidence from the body of the Smithson case to bring her ex in for questioning."

"Sweet!" Barry stood and put his jacket on.

"You kids have fun!" Vince called out and waved, happy to not have to leave the office anymore.

\---

Barry winced in sympathy as he watched Jane rub her head and try to roll her shoulder to rid herself of the pain from their recent encounter.

"Not a word, Barold." Her low voice warned as she hobbled over to the elevator to go back upstairs.

He stood beside her and smirked when she pushed the bullpen's floor number. "Uh, don't you wanna go and see Maura?"

She looked at him with one eyebrow raised as if he was crazy. "Would you go home to Anna like this?"

"Point taken… But, Anna isn't a doctor who could look at it for me." He gave her the departing comment before speeding up to get a coffee from the break room and avoid her angry retort.

Jane stopped at the sound of high heeled feet getting closer but there was nowhere she could hide. She braced herself and tried to walk normally as her impeccably dressed wife came out of the bullpen carrying a folder.

Hazel eyes went wide at the ragged state the detective was in. "Oh Jane! Darling, what happened?!" Her feet shuffled quickly, closer to the taller body and she inspected the gash on Jane's forehead.

"I'm fine." She looked sideways as a few detectives that walked past, sniggering. She glared at them and they cowered slightly. It made her smirk.

"No, you're not. I think you need a few stitches. What else is hurting?"

"My pride." Jane mumbled and Maura's face softened.

"Come downstairs with me and I'll patch you up." The doctor offered softly and ran her hand gently up and down Jane's arm.

"Will you kiss it better too?" Came the almost whiny question.

The ME's top lip lifted slightly as she fought an amused smile. "There is a high probability that you'll get a kiss if you come to my office."

Jane followed obediently and dropped her ripped jacket onto the couch as she made her way to sit down on the edge of the doctor's desk, awaiting her treatment.

Maura came out from the morgue with a suture kit and a kidney dish with warm water. She stood between the long legs and looked into pain-filled dark eyes with concern. "What happened, my love?" The doctor asked as she cleaned the purpling, bleeding wound near her wife's temple and observed the brunette's head for further injury.

"Got jumped. Little bastard was hiding behind a door and nailed me with a set of brass knuckles." Jane winced as she attempted to roll her shoulders.

"Did you pull something?" Maura finished tying the neat row of tiny stitches at Jane's hairline.

"Think so. My left shoulder hurts." The detective's hand reached to rub her own shoulder but stopped at the rush of pain that went down the middle of her back. "Jesus!"

Maura noticed Jane's face pale and instantly wrapped an arm around her body to prevent further pain.

"Fuck, that hurt."

"Don't move, Jane." The doctor felt around the strong shoulder and gasped as she realised what was wrong. "Oh baby, your shoulder is dislocated."

"Damn it. Can you put it back?" Brown eyes pleaded for her wife to say yes.

"I really should take you to the hospital." Maura breathed out, anxious about how bad Jane's shoulder seemed. She sighed at the expected complaint.

"Aww, Maur, I don't wanna go to the hosp— Ahhh, FUCK!" Jane groaned loudly and tears sprang to her eyes as the doctor set her shoulder with precision and expertise. The only thing stopping the brunette from falling off the desk was her wife's yoga toned arms around her shoulders, holding her in place. The dark head dropped to the smaller woman's shoulder as she fought the pain.

"Sorry, darling. I had to do it quickly and I couldn't have you tense up." Maura whispered into Jane's ear and the brunette simply nodded.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Maura's hands rubbing up and down Jane's back tenderly. The detective lifted her head and kissed the smaller woman gratefully. She placed her hands on Maura's hips, careful of her throbbing shoulder and caressed the dark grey material with her thumbs, letting out a heavy sigh. "It's getting harder to chase them down or defend myself. I- I reacted too slowly today… I feel so old, babe."

Maura's hands reached up to grasp the tanned face that she loved so much and she kissed Jane reverently. "You are incredible, sweetheart. You are almost fifty and still able to outperform most of the other detectives, including the younger ones. Just because you had a tough day, doesn't mean you need to start second-guessing yourself." She sealed her proclamation with another kiss that deepened when Jane parted her mouth. Strong hands grasped the doctor's backside and pulled her closer.

"Ahem." Barry laughed into his fist as he interrupted the make out session. His laughter grew as Jane gave him an annoyed look but Maura turned around completely unfazed by the intrusion.

"Hi Barry." The blonde greeted cheerfully, not moving away from her wife's body.

"I just came down to see how Jane is but, uh, she's obviously doin' ok!"

"I was until you showed up." The tall woman grumbled and slid off the desk. She kissed Maura on the head and moved to leave the office.

"Wait, where are you going?!"

"I gotta get back up there and interview the little shit that did this." She pointed to her head.

Maura frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea. You need to rest, and ice your head and shoulder."

"I'm fine, Maur. I'll do the interview and then you can take me home and I'll do all of what you said."

Knowing there was no use in arguing when it came to Jane and solving a case, the doctor acquiesced with a nod and gave her wife's cheek a kiss.

\---

"Mmm, good morning, beautiful. You feel amazing." Jane groaned as she woke to Maura's naked body settled against her own under the covers, their legs entwined. Her arm wrapped around the slender waist and she buried her face against the blonde's neck, peppering it with kisses.

The ME gave a small gasp in response, her hands running carefully over Jane's sternum. "How are you feeling?" She scrutinised the stitching on her wife's forehead.

"Fantastic." Jane rasped out as her body pushed itself into the smaller one, pelvis connecting with the doctor's thigh. Her kisses became sloppier as her hips moved more purposefully into the woman who was almost on top of her.

"Ohh, honey, this isn't— a good- ideeea." Maura's words turned to moans as strong hands caressed her firm backside and full lips claimed her own in a passionate exchange.

"Sex is always a good idea, baby." Jane whispered against the blonde's lips, enjoying the sensation of good, old-fashioned grinding against one another. "God, you feel incredible."

Maura was too aroused to be overly cautious and allowed her detective to rock them both to an easy release. Slightly sweaty and feeling very satisfied, the doctor smiled down at her smug wife. She was amazed at Jane's ability to find the energy for lovemaking no matter what the circumstance.

"I love you, my GILF." Maura declared with a chuckle.

Jane scoffed. "You can't use that! That's my line." She joked and tried to roll them over so she could be on top, the blanket twisting around her legs. "Oww." She nearly made it all the way but not without almost re-injuring herself. Her body fell alongside Maura's, her left leg slung over the smaller woman's hip and her head dropped to her chest. She groaned at the shooting pain coursing through her left arm.

"Oh Jane, are you alright?" Worried hazel eyes looked to her with concern.

"I'm so frustrated right now."

"You need to be careful, sweetheart. You only dislocated your shoulder yesterday." Maura's hands ran up and down Jane's sides soothingly and the long body settled more carefully against her.

Jane placed her injured arm comfortably over the doctor's midsection and ran her nose over the scar at her throat. "So much for a Saturday morning marathon sex session." She complained and kissed Maura's neck softly, unable to resist.

The doctor chuckled and rolled her eyes. "As fit as we are for almost fifty, we haven't had marathon length sex in a long time."

"Maaauraa, don't remind me of my age." She lifted herself up on her right elbow and claimed her wife's lips again in a long, deep kiss. Her left hand slid between ample breasts.

"Mm, sorry love." Maura moaned when Jane swiped her tongue along her bottom lip before sucking it into her mouth. "Ja— mmm Jane, you don't need to prove—"

"Shhh." The brunette carefully manoeuvred herself between Maura's legs, balancing on her good arm. "I want you." She whispered against the doctor's open mouth. "I might not last all morning." She kissed down to her throat. "But I'm gonna do my best to try."

Maura smirked up at her ambitious wife and ran her hands down the strong back, settling them on Jane's ass under the sheet that was barely covering their bodies. Their bodies began rocking again.

They failed to hear their front door open, too focussed on each other's pleasure.

"Ohh Jane… Yes, mmm— right there, baby." Maura panted, feeling her second release so close, her wife's talented fingers teasing her to the brink.

"Ma?!" Franky's voice sounded loudly from right outside their open bedroom door. "Mom, are you guys ho— Oh shit!"

For once, Maura's frantic voice yelled at their daughter. "Franky!" She could almost cry at the interruption.

"I'm so sorry!" Their eldest child roared with laughter as she retreated back down the short hallway.

The taller woman began laughing, her finger's still inside of her wife. Maura groaned at the sensation and hooked an arm around her neck, drawing her close and effectively shutting her up with a kiss that was mostly tongue. Her hips shifted and pulled Jane in further. "Don't stop… I'm so close, babe." The doctor breathed out, surprising her detective by wanting to continue.

Jane grinned and moved her fingers rapidly and with precision, ignoring the pain in her shoulder. She silenced the doctor's moans as she kissed her back eagerly, nipping at Maura's lips as she watched her climax. It was still the most beautiful sight in the world to her. "Fuck, you're sexy." She murmured against the slightly parted mouth that was breathing heavily in recovery.

"Seriously you two!" Was called out from their living room.

The sound of a baby crying was the only motivation for the older women to separate. They both laughed as Jane rolled off of Maura with caution, not wanting to hurt herself again.

"Give us five minutes, bub. Gotta shower!" Jane called back and got up to close their bedroom door.

"Don't wanna know!" Was yelled back.

After several minutes of showering together and evading her wife's roaming hands, Maura was the first to emerge. They had no plans for the day so she threw her hair up into a high bun, avoided wearing makeup, and put on yoga pants and a knitted sweater.

When she padded out barefoot into the living room, bright-eyed and glowing, Franky and Emily smiled with affection. Maura didn't notice, she was too focussed on giving a huge smile to her granddaughter and holding her arms out for a cuddle.

"Bonjour mon petit amour!" (Hello my little love!) She cooed to the eight week old in her arms. "Oh, vous êtes si précieux." (Oh, you are so precious). The doctor covered the tiny head with kisses and shifted Scarlett comfortably into one arm, reaching for Franky with the other. "Hi sweetheart." She placed a kiss on her cheek and then did the same to Emily.

"I need to learn French so I can understand what you're teaching her." Emily stated, loving that their daughter would grow up learning another language.

"I can help you, honey." Franky smiled at her wife and leaned over to give her a kiss.

"Ooohh, gimme my baby!" Jane entered the room and held her hands out immediately but Maura dodged the grabbing and retreated to the open kitchenette on the other side of the room.

"No! I just got her." She looked down at the now peacefully sleeping baby again, unable to take her eyes away for long.

The detective pouted and hugged both of the girls in greeting. "What brings you two over so early on a Saturday?" She followed her wife into the kitchen and leaned over to kiss Scarlett's head.

Franky flushed a little red with embarrassment at what she had walked in on. "Uh, sorry. It's um, 9am. It's not that early!" She defended. "And, you could at least close your door!"

Jane scoffed. "The front door was closed! We live alone now and Saturday mornings off are all about sleeping in."

"We were hardly sleeping, love." Maura teased as she put the kettle on.

"Sorry, we should've called." Emily offered with an apologetic smile.

"Nonsense. You're welcome anytime, but perhaps a little later on our weekends off. Do you want a coffee?"

"Yes please, Mom."

"That means I get the baby now!" Jane reached for Scarlett again and flinched a little at the twinge of pain in her shoulder.

Unfortunately for her, Maura caught the look and frowned. "Sit down and I'll bring her over to you. You can't hold her with your left arm."

"Aww babe, I can—"

"Sit down, Jane." Came the stern instruction.

"Mama, what happened?" Franky asked with concern, only just noticing the slightly concealed small line of stitches and a deep purple bruise at her mother's temple.

Jane sat down with a huff and received Scarlett with her right arm. Her frown disappeared as she snuggled her granddaughter close and nuzzled her soft cheek. "She smells so good."

When Franky didn't get an answer, she looked to her the doctor for an answer. "Mom?"

"She had a run in with a perp yesterday and ended up with a dislocated shoulder."

"Ouch. And the head?"

"Five stitches but nothing serious."

Maura placed a tray of coffee-filled mugs on the table and moved her chair closer to her wife so she could watch her granddaughter sleep. Her arm stretched across the back of the brunette's chair as her cheek rested against her shoulder. The couple completely forgot about the other two at the table as they fussed over Scarlett, completely infatuated with the infant.

Franky and Emily smiled at each other and proudly watched them dote on their daughter.

"So, uh, Ma, do you think you're gonna take a few less cases after this one?" Franky asked, slightly apprehensive about the response, as she pointed to her mother's shoulder.

Maura cringed internally, awaiting a sarcastic retort.

Jane's eyes didn't leave the dark haired baby as she gave a mysterious grin. "Um, actually, I spoke with Cavanaugh yesterday. I think I'm gonna apply for the Police Captain position opening up in a month."

Maura pulled back and stared at her wife with wide eyes. "You didn't tell me that!"

"Whoa! That's huge, Mama."

Jane looked into Maura's surprised face and searched for a particular emotion… Relief… It was right there, evident and the most prominent expression in those hazel eyes. Her smile got bigger as she realised she had made the right choice. Her wife was elated. "I didn't want to get your hopes up but I've been thinking about it for a while. Sean's sure I'll get it."

The doctor had no words for how happy she was. She pressed her lips to her detective's softly and hummed with pleasure as Jane's mouth opened slightly, deepening their celebratory kiss.

"Ah, ok guys. You're gonna scar our daughter!" Franky joked and pointed to the stirring baby.

Pulling away from Jane with a final nuzzle and kiss to the strong jaw, Maura looked back down at Scarlett. "Gosh, she's so adorable. Isn't she?"

"Uh huh." Jane nodded with a ridiculous grin on her face.

"Elle est la plus belle fille du monde." (She's the most beautiful girl in the world). The doctor added and got a smirk from Jane. Her wife loved when she spoke French. She reached her hand out to caress the brunette's face. "Et tu es la plus belle femme, mon amour." (And you're the most beautiful woman, my love).

"Mom, please. I'm gonna puke."

Ignoring her daughter, Maura looked over at Emily. "Is Scarlett feeding well?"

The younger woman nodded. "Yeah, she's still slightly underweight but the nurse said it wasn't too concerning."

"That's great news. She looks healthy. Alexis was underweight. It was a nightmare to get her to feed. I ended up having to pump and Jane would feed her with a bottle because I was so exhausted. It felt like my breasts were constantly out for the first three months of her life."

Jane gave an immature chuckle at the memory. "I wasn't complaining."

"TMI Mom." Franky laughed and Emily rolled her eyes at her wife.

"No, it's not." The strawberry blonde swatted her and continued to speak to her mother-in-law. "I feel a bit like that but I can't imagine what that must have been like. What about Franky?"

Jane chuckled. "You couldn't get that kid off the boob. She was the fattest baby I've ever seen! I never thought I was gonna have access to Maura's ti—"

"Ma!" Franky pushed her glasses up her nose and rolled her eyes.

Emily gave her a little shove and a pout. "You've never shown me a picture of you as a baby!"

Maura got excited talking about baby photos. "Oh, I have her baby album here! Remind me later and I'll retrieve it from the storage box in the guest room." She got up to grab her phone from the kitchen bench and sat back down. She started taking photos of Jane and Scarlett, and then selfies of the three of them.

Jane rolled her eyes at her paparazzi wife and pulled several silly faces so she would stop. "She's so content. Is she sleepin' alright?"

Emily answered with a tired smile. "She's been sleeping pretty well but it definitely takes some adjusting to having your sleep interrupted."

Jane gave Franky a hard look. "You better be looking after your wife and taking Scarlett whenever you can."

"Oh, she's been wonderful!" Emily gushed and laced her fingers with Franky's. "You taught her well."

The detective's face softened and she smiled at her daughter. "Good." Was all she said as she went back to snuggling Scarlett. She winced as another bout of pain shot down her arm, unable to contain a soft grunt.

"Darling?"

The detective huffed in frustration. "Can you take her, Maur? I gotta get some Advil."

"Of course." Maura cradled the baby to her chest, her eyes followed Jane into the kitchen. She was growing more concerned that there was something seriously wrong with Jane's shoulder. "Honey, I think you need to get an x-ray."

"Nah, I'm fine." The brunette waved her off, getting herself some medication and a glass of water.

Maura watched her carefully, assessing how much pain she was in based on her facial expressions. She shook her head at the stubborn woman and looked back at her girls. "What do you two have planned for the day?"

"Not much. We came over coz we missed you both and thought we could hang out for a bit."

The admission caused the doctor to tear up. Her children willingly wanted to spend time with them and she had a beautiful granddaughter to fuss over.

"You can't stay if you make your Mom cry." Jane teased and wiped at a tear that escaped Maura's eye. "As much as I love seeing you both, why don't you take off for an hour or two after you feed Scarlett? We can watch her and you can have some alone time." She settled back next to her smiling wife and wrapped her good arm tightly around her.

Emily's eyes lit up at the idea. They hadn't had time together since their daughter had been born eight weeks ago. "Really?"

"Are you sure, Ma?"

"Yes! We raised you and your sister, we'll be fine with our precious grand baby."

\---

Forty five minutes later, Scarlett was fed and Franky and Emily left to get a coffee and have time together. Another ten minutes after that, Jane had Scarlett in the guest room attempting a diaper change. She panicked when the eight week old began crying. Loudly.

"Maur? Honey, I need help!" Jane called out from the guest bedroom.

Maura came rushing at Jane's anxious tone. "What is it, love?" She entered the room and almost laughed at the mess covering the bed. "Oh, wow… Um, what do you need?"

"The diaper! She just peed all over the covers!" Jane couldn't believe that she had forgotten that important item before removing the soiled one. "Maura Rizzoli-Isles, I swear if you keep laughing at me I'm gonna—"

Doing her best to control her amusement, Maura handed the brunette the tiny diaper. "Sorry, darling. Here you go." Her hand rested on the small of Jane's back, caressing it softly. She watched with adoration as her big, bad detective tried to soothe the crying little girl and wipe her backside at the same time.

"Shh, Scarlett. It's ok, baby. Shh— Ah crap!"

"Do you want me to—"

"Fuck yes." Jane stepped back right away, receiving a backhand to the stomach for the swear, and let her efficient wife take over the cleaning up duties.

"It's ok sweet girl, your Nonna is a bit out of practice."

"Thanks, baby. You pick her up and I'll throw the blanket in the washing machine."

"No, Jane. I'll help you get settled with her in the lounge room. I'll clean up."

Jane settled back on their couch and Maura handed a calm and clean Scarlett back to Jane, receiving a grateful kiss in return.

"You're the best."

"I know."

"There's that modesty I love so much."


	15. Chapter 15

I keep getting messages from people asking for more of this story... Critics... Just don't read it.

* * *

"Alexis! Hello sweetheart." Maura gave a huge smile at the sight of her 23 year-old daughter entering their front door. She put the whisk down that she had been stirring the omelette mix with, dried her hands on a t-towel, and moved to embrace her younger child, noticing that she was not alone.

Lexi didn't realise she was so tense until she felt relief wash over her at seeing her mother. "Hi Mom." Her long arms wrapped around the smaller woman who was at the same height as her due to the tall heels adorning her feet. She was grateful her Mom had seen her first and not her Mama.

Maura kissed her cheek and stepped back to smile politely at the woman who stood a few feet behind Alexis seemingly unsure of herself. "Who's your friend, darling?" The ME asked gently, without judgement. Her intelligent eyes took in the expensive clothing on the blonde woman and the obvious age gap between her daughter and her friend.

The dark-haired girl's eyes widened as though she forgot that she had someone with her and stepped back to introduce her girlfriend.

Maura clenched her jaw slightly, masking it with a smile in an attempt to not convey anything outwardly, when she noticed the young girl with the woman.

"Mom, this is Carol and her daughter, Edith." Alexis smiled and reached for the older woman's hand, entwining their fingers. "We uh- we work together and um— we've been dating for a few months now, um so I thought it would be nice to introduce her to everyone at once." Dark eyes searched her mother's for acceptance and was reassured to find it in the kind hazel, gazing back at them. "Guys, this is my Mom, Maura."

"It's lovely to meet you, Carol." The doctor stepped forward first and held her hand out. Carol grasped it and smiled at the honey blonde returning the sentiment, relieved that this meeting wasn't as awkward as she thought it would be. Maura moved to take the girl's hand to shake and gave her a bright smile. "Hello Edith."

"Hi." The friendly girl greeted back.

"How old are you, sweetie?"

"I'm 8." She stated excitedly, her blue eyes much like her mother's, twinkling at the attention.

Maura grinned back at her. "Wow! Well, 8-year-olds are usually very good at mixing things. Would you like to help me with breakfast?"

"Yes, please!" She nodded her head rigorously and looked up to her mother for permission.

Carol looked shocked at the offer and blushed. "Of course, honey, go ahead." Maura steered Edith gently by the shoulder and they walked back to the kitchen.

Alexis pulled Carol in the same direction as her Mom, trying to help the older woman feel more at ease. "Where's Ma?" She asked her mother quietly.

An adoring smile graced Maura's features. "In bed."

Lexi's scoff and the roll of her eyes insinuated that the news was not surprising at all.

Maura chuckled and raised an eyebrow at her youngest child but before she could comment on Lexi's similar sleeping habits, Carol piped in.

"You can't really tease about that!" Carol gave Lex an affectionate push and leaned into the younger woman.

Maura watched the interaction intently, enjoying how at ease the couple were with one another.

"Maur?" Jane's husky voice sounded from down the hallway and got louder as she got closer. "Babe, I can't fi— Lex? Hey sweetie." The tall woman grinned at her daughter awkwardly, not expecting anyone in their house yet. She reluctantly entered the dining room in nothing but Maura's floral, silk kimono that barely covered her backside, and looked suspiciously at the stranger in her home.

Carol's eyes widened and she blushed as she looked over at her laughing girlfriend. Lexi got up from her seat at the kitchen bench and embraced her mother. "Morning Mama." Her heart started pounding in the knowledge that she had to introduce her girlfriend. She turned back to the blonde and placed her arm around her shoulders. "Th-this is my girlfriend, Carol and um, this is Edith."

The brunette folded her arms over her chest and scowled. "Your girlfrie—"

"Jane…" Maura's warning sounded and she glanced to the young girl next to her who was watching and listening to the conversation. She stepped around from the counter and wrapped her arm around the slim waist of her wife, trying to hide her amused smile.

"Ok, ok… Uh, hi Carol. Hi Edith. How long has this been goin' on?" The detective asked accusingly but with a more gentle tone, arms still crossed.

The ease Carol had felt around the doctor was quickly disappearing at Jane's inquisition.

"A few months."

Dramatic Italian hands flared out in shock. "A few months?!" She reigned her long arms back in when Maura squeezed her middle and shushed her sternly.

"C'mon, Ma, I- we were just waiting until we knew we were serious." Lexi defended herself and held Carol's hand tightly, hoping that she wasn't freaking out and wanting to leave but too scared to look at her to see.

"Ah, alright! Fine, but we are not done talking about this." Jane responded sternly and took a deep breath. "Sorry Carol, it's not personal." She tried to smile at the woman that she believed to be too old for her daughter and then looked to her wife for some help.

Used to being the peacemaker in their family, Maura smiled kindly at the speechless woman and reached out to rub her arm gently. "It really isn't personal, Carol. It's lovely to have you here. Jane is a little protective of our girls." She looked to her daughter. "Let's finish getting breakfast ready and then later on perhaps we can discuss everything?"

"Sure Mom."

"I gotta go and find my pants." Jane grumbled as she kissed Maura's head and turned to walk back down the hallway.

"They're in the shower, darling." Maura informed her with a smirk.

Jane stopped to look back at the ME in confusion. "Huh? Why would they be—" Maura's smirk grew, reminding her of her desperate need to be in the shower with her naked wife last night, so much so that she had stepped under the spray fully clothed. "Ohhh. I'll just put on my jeans."

"Oh my god." Alexis covered her bright red face in embarrassment and changed the topic by focussing on getting up and helping Edith with breakfast.

Maura's chuckle morphed into a full dimpled grin when the front door opened to reveal their eldest daughter and her family. "There's my girl!" The doting grandmother raced to the entryway as quickly as she could in her heels to receive her prize. The chubby cheeked little girl squealed when she saw her grandmère and held her arms out, practically jumping out of her Mama's arms.

"Whoa kid!" Franky exclaimed when she almost dropped the 6-month-old handing her over to her Mom. "Nice to see you too." She joked.

"Hi honey." She kissed her daughter and daughter-in-law, then gave her attention back to the second love of her life. Scarlett giggled uncontrollably at the kisses Maura was giving her whilst pulling at the expensive pearl necklace adorning the slender neck.

"Hey Lexi." She was surprised to see her sister had arrived early but not that she had brought someone with her. Her younger sibling had called yesterday to ask Franky if she thought it would be ok and she had encouraged her to bring Carol and Edith, confident that at least their Mom would make sure everything remained civilised.

"Hi Franky." The younger sibling got up from her seat and introduced Carol and Edith. They exchanged greetings and Maura listened in, gaining a bit more information about the new arrival.

Carol became more relaxed as everyone chatted and learned a lot about the small family in that time. She had been so nervous about meeting them but that was slowly dissipating, especially with Jane not currently present. That didn't last long and the detective came back out, almost looking like a completely different person in ripped jeans and a Bruins hoodie, squawking excitedly at the sight of her granddaughter.

"Hello my sweetheart!" Jane held her arms out and Scarlett practically leaped into them. The twinge her shoulder felt made her shift the weight of the baby to her good arm and she wrapped her other around her wife's shoulders.

"Oh my god, Ma! We're here too." Franky complained jokingly.

"Yeah, but you're not cute anymore." Jane joked and received a slap to the belly from Maura. "Ok fine, Emily is cute." She winked at the redhead and received a kiss to the cheek in greeting.

They all settled comfortably around the extendable dining table and began conversing with one another. Most of Jane and Maura's focus was on their granddaughter. Jane had a hold of the baby and Maura had scooted her chair in close to the pair. The three were in their own little world.

The doctor slid her hand over Jane's taut abdomen and leaned to kiss the strong jaw. There was something about her wife with their granddaughter that made her fall in love over and over again. Jane's head turned to meet soft lips. The kiss turned into several in between entertaining the 6-month-old.

Alexis looked over to gauge Carol's reaction at the display of affection. She had a soft smile on her face and looked away when Jane and Maura continued their intimate moment, oblivious to everyone else around them. The blonde turned her head and made eye contact with Lexi, understanding the dark-haired woman's affectionate and caring but fierce nature a little better.

They were interrupted by the arrival of Angela and Sean and Frankie and Nina. "Oh my god, you two!" Angela exclaimed as she entered the room, mostly talking to her daughter. "Cut that out for 5 seconds and give me my great grandbaby!" Jane reluctantly handed Scarlett over with several kisses and wrapped her arm more tightly around Maura.

Tommy, Lydia, and TJ arrived a few minutes later, and family breakfast commenced for the next hour. Franky excused herself halfway through the meal to put her fussing baby down for a nap.

Jane's attention started to wane as her wife's perfume kept affecting her senses and she snuggled closer, kissing the side of Maura's neck. The ME turned to face her after the second kiss and met soft lips with her own.

Scarlett's cries broke the couple apart and they separated and stood quickly in attempt to beat each other to get to their granddaughter. "Maur! No fair, you were closer to the entry!" She grabbed the doctor around the waist from behind as they reached the doorway and they both laughed as the smaller of the two was carefully shoved aside, not really wanting to win or hurt herself in the process.

Maura slapped Jane on the backside as she charged past after making sure that the ME wasn't going to fall over in her high heels.

"Oh my god, you guys are too old to be scuffling like that!" Franky yelled out, laughing at the same time, along with everyone else present.

Scarlett's giggles got louder and everyone heard her happy response.

Jane picked up the little girl and squeezed her tightly, her arm twinged in pain at the action and she shifted the little body to her good arm once again.

Maura didn't miss the pain that crossed her wife's face but had countless arguments already about getting examined. The brunette had stubbornly refused. She ignored it for now and walked back down the hallway.

"Look at your beautiful grandmère, Scarlett." Jane whispered as they followed the honey blonde back out to where the rest of the guests were situated.

Maura looked over her shoulder in adoration at her two favourite people. "That's not going to get you out of a lecture later, my love." She smirked and joined her youngest daughter at the kitchen bench.

"Oh, Mama. What did you do?" Lexi teased.

"Nothing! Right my babygirl?" Jane asked the 6-month-old, who giggled at the silly face her Nonna was pulling. She sat down on the carpet in their living room with the baby sitting between her stretched out legs.

Lexi joined her and motioned Carol and Edith to join them. The young girl sat down next to the brunettes and played with Scarlett but Carol shook her head and helped Maura wash the dishes.

Once everyone except Franky and Emily had left, Lexi decided to confront the conversation that had created tension between herself and her Mama.

"I'm really sorry, Ma." Alexis spoke softly to her mother, both of them sat at the table, watching Maura and Carol clean up and chat quietly.

Jane turned to look at her youngest child and spoke softly. "I wish you had told us, Lex."

Alexis hung her head a little and nodded. "Yeah, me too."

"I- I like her, ok sweetie? And I want you to know that you guys are welcome anytime." Jane watched the relief wash over the dark-haired woman's face. Dark eyes, much like her own, looked up in surprise.

"Really? And Mom?"

"I can't speak for your mother but if I feel like that then you can guarantee she does too." Jane gave a soft smile and pulled Lexi in for a hug. "Love you kiddo."

"Love you too, Ma." The pair pulled apart and caught both blonde women looking at them with affection.

Jane acted like nothing was out of the ordinary.

Alexis looked at her watch as she stood and looked over to Carol. "We need to leave."

"Oh, already?" Maura's disappointed tone confirmed Jane's comment. The ME was enjoying her time with her daughter's new girlfriend.

"Gosh, is that the time?" Carol's light blue eyes widened and she placed a hand on the slightly shorter woman's shoulder. "I'm afraid we have to drop Edith off to her father's and attend a lunch function."

"Ok, well, perhaps you might like to join us later in the week for dinner?" The doctor requested and got a big smile from her daughter and Carol.

"We'd love that, Maura." Carol responded sincerely and went to retrieve Edith who had been playing outside.

The trio said their goodbyes and Jane closed the door with a sigh and cuddled Scarlett closely. Her phone ringing interrupted her train of thought. She handed over the sleepy baby to Maura, and left the room to answer the call.

"Mom, that was wonderful. Thank you for making breakfast." Emily slumped heavily in the armchair across from her mother-in-law and smiled appreciatively at her.

"Of course, sweetheart." Maura returned the sentiment and looked down at the dark-haired girl that had just fallen asleep against her chest. Her hand delicately ran over the soft head of hair.

Jane came back out and sat down next to her wife, placing an arm around the back of the couch, ignoring the dull throb that began in her shoulder once again at the extension. She kissed Maura's head and leaned over to kiss Scarlett. "You guys need to have another date night soon so we can have our baby all to ourselves."

"That would be so nice! Are you free tomorrow night?" Emily asked, looking to her wife for confirmation. She was a little desperate to have some time with her.

"Yeah, as long as the team don't get a case tomorrow, that'll work." Jane pulled Maura in closer and tried to adjust to ease her discomfort.

"You might be inheriting a grandchild if Carol and Lex are serious." Franky stated boldly, wanting to know her parents' opinion on the recently revealed relationship.

Maura's eyebrows raised slightly as she sighed. "Hmm, possibly."

Jane wasn't as reserved in her response. "I don't know how long it's been goin' on but I'm pissed that she didn't think she could tell us."

"Oh darling, our opinion means the world to her but this relationship seems to be very important too. She was very nervous about it."

"Nervous? She looked like she was going to shit herself when she introduced Carol to me." Jane laughed and received another backhand to the stomach.

"Yeah, she was anxious as hell when she called yesterday." Franky confessed, laughing along with her Ma.

"Wait, you knew about them?! How serious are they?" Jane questioned her daughter as though she knew more about it than she did.

Maura slipped her arm around her wife's back and rubbed tenderly. "Calm down, sweetheart."

"No, Ma! I didn't know anything until she called and asked if she should bring them… They seem kinda serious though."

Jane frowned and nodded in agreement. "Yeah." There was silence in the room as they all pondered what this meant for their family. "Do you know how old she is?"

"She's 32." Maura answered matter-of-factly.

The detective turned to the blonde with a curious look. "How do you know?!"

Maura looked at Jane like she had three heads. "I asked her."

"You— Oh my god, babe!" Jane laughed as did Emily and Franky. Trust the doctor to be so straight forward and actually get the answer to what they had all been questioning in their heads all morning.

"What? She's very approachable. She told me that she knew it was a significant age gap and they are taking things slowly, but Alexis is very mature."

"Damn. I don't think I want to think about this anymore today." Jane rubbed her face roughly and stood. "I gotta go into work anyway. Frost just called."

"Yeah, we better go too." Franky stood and held out her hands for their daughter.

"No, she's so comfortable!" Maura whined and kissed the top of her granddaughter's head. "I can't get enough of her."

Jane nodded in agreement. "You guys need to make the date night thing a regular occurrence!"

Franky retrieved Scarlett carefully from her mother and smiled at the couple. "We'll do our best. See you tomorrow night."

Emily followed Franky to the door and sadly said goodbye. She knew it wasn't usual for in-laws to be so popular but she truly loved Jane and Maura like they were her own parents.

"Bye darlings. We love you." Maura declared and slipped her arms around Jane's waist as they watched the little family load themselves into the car and drive down the street. Once they were out of sight, she looked up at her wife with a pout. "You really have to go into work?"

Jane kissed the pout and wrapped the smaller woman up tightly in her long arms. "Yeah, sorry baby." She kissed Maura tenderly again. "Frost needs me to look over something for his current case but I'll be back in a couple of hours." They kissed once more and reluctantly moved back into the house so Jane could change and head into work.

Just an hour into Jane being at headquarters, a murder was called in, and the team left for the crime scene.

* * *

Maura and Frankie met them just outside the doorway and gave Jane the needed details. "Danielle Mitchell."

"Let me guess, 20-something?" Jane joked as they entered the apartment that was now a crime scene.

The doctor looked at her wife curiously. "How do you know?"

Jane pointed to the Van Gogh poster on the wall. "20 bucks there's a 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' poster in her bedroom."

"Oh, you cannot know that." Maura challenged in disbelief.

"Wanna bet?" The detective waggled her eyebrows at the smaller woman.

"Taste is an individual's preference based on their specific cultural experience. It is impossible to predict."

Jane paused before they got to the body, grabbing Maura's arm. "No, no, no, wait. Marilyn Monroe, white dress, on the subway grate. 50 bucks." The new challenge was given.

The ME frowned. "What am I going to do with 50 dollars? That's hardly exciting." She folded her arms and waited for a better bet. Frost scoffed in amusement at their banter.

Jane lowered her voice and made eye contact with the honey blonde. "Uh, 50 minutes?"

"Deal." There was no hesitation in Maura's tone. She entered the bedroom to examine the body and ignored Frost's confused look.

"50 minutes? What's that mean?" The dark eyed man questioned and observed the slight blush on his partner's face. "Oh, is this a sex thing?" He asked with more enthusiasm. "It's a sex thing! Like how long you'll do it? How much time you—"

"Shut it." Jane shoved past him and ignored his laugh. Her eyes lit up in triumph when she spotted the predicted poster on the wall. "Yes! Pay up, baby." She pinched Maura's hip discreetly and gave her a victorious grin.

Maura rolled her eyes and pulled on a pair of latex gloves. "Later might be more appropriate, darling." She stated neutrally and watched Jane flush red.

"Of course later, Maura! I won't forget though."

The doctor smirked and walked over to the body to begin her part of the investigation.

Frankie entered the room after canvasing the neighbours and Jane was questioning him before he had a chance to check out the scene. "What do we know?" She asked her brother.

"The neighbours didn't hear anything last night."

"Do we know what time she came home?"

"Guy across the hall works a night shift, said she got in late, couldn't tell if she was with anybody, though."

Maura approached the pair and pointed to the posed woman on the bed. "Rigor shows time of death around midnight, and lividity indicates she was moved into this position. The bag does suggest asphyxia, but i'll need to confirm it with the lab."

"It's a pretty tidy crime scene, especially for somebody who's been strangled." Jane commented dryly and continued to cross examine the room.

"CSRU couldn't pull a print off of anything." The honey blonde informed her and continued to direct the techs.

"It would take time to wipe the surfaces clean. Killer wasn't in a hurry, like they knew nobody was coming home. Look how she's laid out and how deliberate it is. They knew what they were doing."

"Yeah, I agree, Jane." Frost nodded and they finished going over the multiple scenarios that could have occurred for the young woman to be murdered.

* * *

Jane barged into the morgue, frustrated. Frankie following closely behind. "Maur, tell me you got something." She looked at her wife over the dead and recently dissected body that had been found that morning.

"Actually, I do." Hazel eyes twinkled and Jane's dark ones opened in surprise.

"Yeah?" The detective hadn't expected anything after going over and over the non-existent evidence.

"Yes, petechial haemorrhaging confirms that the cause of death was asphyxiation. I found this in the victim's throat." The blonde retrieved an evidence bag with a cork inside of it.

"What the—"

"Shh, let me finish."

Jane put her hands on her hips in annoyance and shot her brother a scowl when he chuckled at them. "Maur—"

Maura stepped around the table, pulling off her gloves, and began washing her hands and arms. "There was a murder 6 months ago in Plymouth Country."

"Ok…" The detectives followed Maura into her office. Frankie made himself comfortable on the couch and Jane sat on the edge of the doctor's desk as she opened her laptop.

"Jasmine Hess. The ME over there found a cork, lodged in the same manner."

"So, we have a serial killer."

"No, honey, Jasmine's murderer is in jail."

"Hmm, so, two girls killed the same way by two different people." Frankie stated the obvious, thinking about how they might be linked.

"Assuming they got the right guy in the first case, this is either a coincidence or a copycat… Thanks babe." Jane leaned forward to kiss her wife softly and the pair left to head back upstairs to BRIC.

Upon further investigation, they discovered that Danielle had been seeing someone but had no luck in identifying the mystery man with their current clues.

* * *

"Nina, did ya find anything on that hideous looking phone?" Jane asked with a look of disgust.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with a little bling!" Her sister-in-law defended.

"C'mon. It looks like Hello Kitty threw up on My Little Pony."

Nina held up a shiny covered smartphone. "You were saying?"

Jane cringed. "Is that your...? Well, in ... you know, in ... that bling is ... is quite tasteful. You know, in ... in this context, I find that I am, uh, pro-bling."

"You're pro-bling?" A dark eyebrow raised in complete disbelief and some amusement.

"Bring on the bling." Jane smirked at her, enjoying the quickly developing joke.

"I could do your phone."

"Would you?"

They both laughed and Jane shook her head. "You know, I think my kids would disown me if I did that to my phone."

"True. Those girls are Rizzoli's through-and-through!"

"Ha ha, well, they can be quite a handful when shopping so, they do take after their Mom as well."

"I thought that was where their intelligence was from too?" Nina winked at the tall detective and clicked a few more times on her mouse before continuing with conversation about their case. "Oh, Jane, look at this. Danielle seemed to have quite the interest in a murder case. A woman by the name of Jasmine Hess."

"What?" Jane rushed to look at the computer screen. She explained the connection that Maura had found.

Frankie entered the room with a USB. "Janie, I went through security footage from the court case. Danielle was there every day." He leaned over his wife and inserted the thumb drive into her computer and brought up footage that he wanted them to see. "She leaves at recess, sends a few texts, and then heads back in."

"Nina, who's she texting?" Jane asked, feeling excited that momentum was gathering.

"It's gotta be the boyfriend."

"There aren't any records matching the time stamps on this footage." Nina stated, bewildered.

Jane pointed to the footage. "Because that's not her's. It's just a plain black phone."

"A burner?"

"Perhaps she had one just for the boyfriend?"

"Okay, a reverse lookup should give us a name." Nina entered the necessary information into the program and the monitor beeped immediately. "That can't be right. Her boyfriend is the Plymouth County prosecutor, Paul Wescourt."

* * *

Jane lay in bed later that night, her uninjured arm tucked under her head, staring at the ceiling. She didn't budge when Maura lifted the covers and snuggled into her side, wrapping an arm around her middle, and pressing their naked bodies tightly together.

The blonde leaned up on her elbow and brushed some stray curls from Jane's forehead. "Sweetheart?"

"Mm?" Dark eyes found Maura's and closed when she received a kiss and then another. "I hate that I can't work out what the connection is."

Maura kissed the detective again, more deeply, and shifted herself to lay on top of the long body. "You will, baby." Her hands ran the length of Jane's sides and she kissed down her neck slowly, moving further south.

"Wh- what are you doing?" Jane asked breathlessly as Maura's lips and tongue teased the skin just above her navel and the smaller body settled comfortably between long legs.

The doctor lifted her head to give her wife a sexy smirk. "Paying my debt." She answered, not waiting for a response, going back to kissing and nipping her way down to where she promised she would spend 50 minutes giving all of her attention to.

"I'm not— sure I can last th- that long. Do I get— credit for, ohh, any unused m-minutes?" Jane's hands wound their way into honey blonde locks and her breathing became ragged, her mind on nothing else but her wife's talented tongue.

"Possibly." Maura responded, not removing her mouth for the next 12 minutes that she was able to get Jane to hold out for.

An hour later they lay in reversed positions, Jane's head on Maura's chest, her arm slung over the doctor's middle.

"Start from the beginning, slowly." Maura requested, her fingers running through dark, messy curls.

"Our dead girl... Danni, she's known as, killed in the same way as the Plymouth County victim, also happens to be the girlfriend of the guy who prosecuted the Plymouth County case."

"Ok."

"Prosecutor is Paul Wescourt. Conviction put him on the map. He's been a rising star in the D.A.'s office ever since. He's also very married."

"Ok."

Jane leaned up on her elbow to look at her wife. "You ... You keep saying ok, and, to me, it seems like—"

"Like the opposite of ok?"

"Uh huh."

Maura's gaze softened at the insecurity in her love's voice. "I'm just listening to you piece it together, darling." She lifted her hand up to caress a soft cheek.

Jane relaxed again and resumed the conversation. "Well, I'm gonna ask a question that I don't really want to ask… Do we suspect him?"

"Well, you can't rule him out, not until you talk to him."

"I have to be careful with jumping to conclusions too early."

"Yes, you do."

"I need to protect our relationship with the neighbouring prosecutor's office. Paul Wescourt has a sterling reputation and is, by all accounts, a good guy…" Jane paused and frowned at her next train of thought. "A good guy who cheats on his wife."

"He's married?"

"Yep."

"Will you go and see him tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Frost and I have a meeting set for the morning."

"Ok, it could get messy for your department, the prosecutor's office…" The doctor let out a yawn and closed her eyes.

"His poor wife."

"Mmhmm."

"Ok, I don't wanna think about this anymore tonight. Love you." Jane tilted her face up and kissed the scar on Maura's throat. She couldn't imagine ever wanting to cheat on her precious wife but she knew there were many people out there that didn't have a spouse anywhere near as incredible as hers. She kissed her once more and whispered goodnight when she got no response from the already sleeping woman.

* * *

To be continued...


	16. Chapter 16

Yes, this is after Season 5, Episode 12 & 13...

* * *

The secretary led Jane and Frost through the door to Paul Wescourt's office. The 30-year-old man stood with an easy smile and held out his hand from the opposite side of his desk. "Hello, detectives. Paul Wescourt."

"Mr. Wescourt. I'm detective Frost and this is detective sergeant Jane Rizzoli."

"Pleasure to meet you both. What can I do for you?" He motioned for them to sit down.

"We need to talk to you about Danielle Mitchell." They watched him try and cover his surprise. Jane continued. "It's ... It's not good news, I'm afraid."

"Well, i-is she okay?" He sat forward in his chair, trying to piece together why the police were visiting him.

"She was found yesterday in her apartment. Strangled to death."

Horrified shock crossed his face before tears sprung to his eyes. "No. No, not Danni. No, there's g- got to be a mistake."

"I'm sorry. We need to ask you about the nature—"

"Oh, my god." Paul leaned over and put his head down, breathing deeply. "Oh, my god." Barry and Jane gave him a few more minutes to gather himself before questioning him further. He easily confessed to being romantically involved with Danni for the last few months. The affair had been kept outside of both of their homes, in a hotel not far from her house. A grim look crossed Paul's face. "There's no easy way to ask this, but could you... leave my wife out of it? Sh-she didn't know about Danni. She would be devastated."

Jane's face hardened. "Well, that seems more on you than on us."

"Yeah, you're right. But I'm a public figure. And... she doesn't deserve this. Please?"

Before Jane could protest, Frost answered politely. "We'll keep it quiet for now."

They finished their questioning and left the distraught man alone to his grief.

* * *

"Jane, look at this." Nina pointed to the computer displaying footage from outside the hotel room.

Jane peered at the screen intently, hyper-aware of the sound of high heels clicking their way into the room. "Looks like Wescourt's car was at the hotel the night of the murder."

"Well, that's a good alibi, right?" Maura asked as she stepped closer to look at the recording too.

Jane grinned at her wife. "For his car." She stood to her full height and stretched her aching shoulder, giving Maura a sheepish look as she did so. "Maur, why do people cheat? I mean, i-is there some sort of evolutionary reason?" Just the nature of the conversation made her want to be closer to Maura. The thought of ever losing her by her own actions, sickened her. She moved to wrap her arm around petite shoulders and pulled the ME close, so that her smaller body pressed into Jane's side.

Maura looked up at her curiously before answering her question. "Well, there is research that links infidelity to a variant in dopamine receptor D4. Some call it the thrill-seeking gene."

Frost entered just in time to hear Maura's comment and listened in to whatever lesson she was giving her wife.

They were all surprised at Jane's display of affection. She had rarely initiated this type of contact with Maura when at work (that they knew of).

"So, cheating is genetic?" Jane raised her eyebrow in disbelief and pulled back slightly from Maura to look at her, unsure of how she felt about the scientific explanation.

"The variant is genetic but the behaviour can be modulated by the individual. Though not in this case apparently." The doctor moved away to pick up a file on the desk and held it out to Jane. "The semen was a match to the DNA swab that Paul Wescourt submitted."

"Which we expected." Frost stated as he moved to stand next to Jane and view the report she was now holding.

Maura sidled up to the opposite side of the tall brunette, a hand on the small of her back, and pointed to a paragraph of information on her report. "There's more. Because the surfaces were wiped, CSRU had to take extra-thorough measures at the scene, and they pulled the drain stopper out of the shower.

All three BPD employees scrunched their noses up at the thought of what could be found in someone's drain. "Gross." Jane commented, disgusted.

Maura nodded. "But worth it… They recovered hair, which I did a DNA profile on. Some of it was Danni's. Some of it was Wescourt's."

Jane's eyes widened in understanding. "So, Paul Wescourt's hair is in a shower drain of an apartment that he claims to have never been in."

"This guy could have done both murders and put away an innocent man." Nina commented, piecing some of the parts of the story together. "Is it possible that the hair was carried in on Danni's body and wound up in the drain when she showered?"

Jane shook her head in the negative. "It seems unlikely."

Maura looked at her detective and handed her another report. "Which is why I sent CSRU back to the scene. And this time, they got a print. Want to guess whose it was?"

"So, his mistress is dead, his prints are at the scene, and his alibi is paper-thin."

"Did he think he could just lie to our faces and get away with it?"

Jane chuckled at Frost. "Let's go ask him, shall we?"

The dark-eyed man grinned with excitement. "Yes, let's."

* * *

Frost took great pleasure in almost embarrassing the man in front of his wife. When Jane read him his rights, Paul insisted frantically that he was innocent and that he had been framed. It almost caused the detectives to feel sorry for him.

Later that evening, Jane was called to the prison hospice because Paul had been beaten up. Frankie had tagged along and winced when he saw his face.

"You okay, Mr. Wescourt?"

The man hung his head. "Yeah."

Jane glared at the guard. "This man works in the D.A.'s office. He might as well have had a target on his back. Why wasn't he put in protective custody in the first place?"

The smug officer stood with his hand sitting casually on his belt, and looked Jane up and down. "Guess the way we see it, you kill your girlfriend, you don't get special treatment."

Jane glanced over to Paul without much remorse. "I'm sorry about this."

He hung his head in frustration and scoffed. "Oh, it's the least of my problems. My lawyer has been calling Jennifer nonstop. She- She won't bail me out. She won't talk to me."

"She's probably pretty confused." Frankie offered.

Paul continued as though he hadn't heard Frankie speak. "And the phones in my office go right to voicemail. My staff have jumped ship. I'm alone. Apparently, my only friends are you two…" He chuckled humourlessly. "…Who put me in here."

The comment pissed Jane off. "Oh, hey, you put yourself in here when you lied to us." She pointed at him harshly.

Paul's head snapped up in anger. "I didn't kill her! I was set up."

"By who? How?" Frankie questioned.

"I don't know!" Paul groaned and exhaled sharply. "All I know is that I loved Danni. And whoever did this to her is out there while I'm in here."

They were all interrupted by Jane's cell phone.

"Rizzoli." Jane looked up at Paul, her eyes conveying surprise. "Ok, I'll bring him down." She hung up and looked at the man suspiciously and then addressed her brother. "Looks like someone's bail was just posted."

* * *

Back at BPD, Jane and Frost helped Paul finalise his paperwork. Frankie came into the room issuing a warning to the trio. "It's uh, a zoo out there."

"Damn it." Jane whispered and looked sympathetically at Paul. "Let's try and get you out through the carpark." The tall woman led him out of the room and to the elevator.

"Please Jane, you have to understand, this has to be a set up!" The light eyed man exclaimed a little desperately, anxious about the media that were camped outside of the police headquarters.

"I don't have to understand anything." The brunette claimed as she entered the elevator, the young man entering right behind her, intent on proving himself innocent.

They got to the entry of the carpark and Jane stopped him before he was within eyesight of the multiple bodies with cameras outside, waiting for him. "You got a lot of press out there." She turned around and led him in a different direction, down a flight of stairs.

"My poor wife."

Jane scoffed as they reached Maura's office door. "You should have thought about that before." The detective warned in a low voice that was full of judgement. She peered through the window to see her own wife sitting at her desk, working. She fought the soft smile that would have normally presented itself when the ME looked up and they made eye contact.

Paul was clueless as he stood next to her, still desperate to convince her of his innocence. "Let me ask you something… Are you as convinced of my guilt as I am of my innocence?" He made eye contact with her as she turned to look at him.

"It's not about my certainty. It's about evidence and it's about facts, like the fact that you lied about being in Danni's apartment." Jane crossed her arms over her chest and waited for his response.

"I know how it looks. But I also know that I'm innocent."

Maura opened her office door and addressed the detective. "Did you need something, Jane?"

The smile won and Jane gave a lopsided grin at her sweet wife. "Yeah Maur, hang on." She turned back to the man. "Alright, Mr Innocent, what was Danni's favourite colour?"

He frowned at the sudden line of questioning."Uh… sage."

"Sage?"

"She liked to look at the pottery barn catalog. There's a lot of sage in there."

"What was her favourite food?"

"Samosas."

"Least favourite food?"

"Shrimp. Ok?" He asked impatiently. "It wasn't a fling. I loved her." He stated with conviction.

"Well, then, why not just leave your wife?" Maura asked, interested in his process and not understanding why it wasn't as simple as the question she asked.

"I- I was trying to do the right thing for everyone. Oh, I know how that sounds. I just couldn't figure out an easy way to end things. Maybe there is no easy way. Maybe love always ends with someone getting hurt."

"I hardly think so, Mr Wescourt." Maura smiled lovingly at Jane and was very surprised when her detective stepped a bit closer, put an arm around her shoulders, and gave her a loving kiss to the side of the head. Just as quickly she let go but stayed standing close.

"Maur, can we use the morgue loading docks to get him outta here?"

Paul's eyes followed the interaction closely but he was mostly focussed on getting out of the precinct unscathed. His eyes widened when Jane asked the doctor if he could leave through the morgue to remain undetected.

Maura placed her hand inside of Jane's, seeing the conflict in the dark eyes she knew so well. "Of course, my love." She gave a soft smile and let go to retrieve her staff swipe card from her desk drawer.

While she was inside of the office, Paul quickly questioned the detective. "You together?"

Jane's eyes stopped following the petite form and she looked back to him, giving a nod.

"How long?"

The Italian woman watched the stylish woman walk back towards them and she curled one side of her lip up, withholding the proud smile that threatened to take over her face. "Almost 30 years."

Paul wasn't expecting that. "Whoa. That's uh- a long time."

Jane didn't bother responding because Maura was handing her the pass

"Thanks Maur. I'll be back in a minute." Jane kissed the ME quickly and marched through the morgue, towards the loading dock. Paul had no other choice but to follow the long strides.

The detective returned a few minutes later to give Maura back the swipe card that opened the loading dock. The ME received the pass and placed it back in the draw of her desk. She sat heavily on the edge and the doctor placed a loving hand on her thigh. Her long-fingered hand positioned itself on top of the smaller one and sighed.

"He really loved her, Maur." Jane stated with a frown, playing with the rings on Maura's left hand.

"He wouldn't be the first man to kill someone he loved, darling."

Jane nodded. "And we don't have motive. I mean, he's a married man with a high-profile job. Motive was probably what it always is ... He wanted out and she threatened to expose him."

The doctor knew her wife so well. She was conflicted. "But?"

Jane stood and began to pace. "But she never even spoke his name to her friends. And she encrypted files with articles about his case. She wasn't trying to expose him. I think she was protecting him."

"Hey, there you are." Nina stepped into the open door and opened her laptop as she approached the couple. "You gotta see this."

The detective's eyes scanned the screen. "So, he's got a trip to Hawaii for a legal conference next month. Three days at the Hyatt."

"Mmhmm, but the plane ticket is for a week. Where's he staying the rest of the time?"

"Check out her credit-card records. That's who she was going on vacation with."

"But why book a romantic getaway with a mistress you're planning to kill?" Maura asked, always fascinated to hear what her wife's thoughts were.

"To make it look like you're not planning to kill her."

Nina nodded but had further thoughts to add. "Ok, say that's true. Why kill her this way, I mean, in the exact manner of a case he just tried and won? I mean, if he wanted to get rid of her that badly, just shoot her or push her off a cliff or something."

"Well, maybe he's a sociopath who wanted to get caught?" The ME offered.

Jane shook her head and put her hands on her hips. "It just doesn't feel right. He lied about being in the apartment. His alibi is full of holes. His prints were at the crime scene. It's a lot of evidence. It's just... too perfect. I know what the evidence says but I know what my gut is saying."

Maura hated it when Jane referred to her instinct as her 'gut' but she knew it was almost always correct. "Nobody wants your intestines to be right more than I do, but no matter how many times you go over it, he still looks guilty."

"Where did CSRU find the fingerprint?"

"It was on the underside of the handle of the toilet, which is why they missed it in the first sweep, but it's a complete print. Also an exact match."

"I need to get back into that apartment."

* * *

The next day, Frost and Jane reentered Danni's apartment and went straight to check the handle with the print.

"Reverse-thread nuts are always tricky. If you turn the wrench the wrong direction, you can crack the porcelain." The tall woman worked her magic in detaching the handle.

Frost laughed. "Sometimes I forget you're a plumber's daughter."

"You know, I never thought I'd say this, but... thank you, Pop." She looked at the metal in her hand and frowned. "This handle does not belong with that toilet. They're two different brands."

The African American man shrugged. "Maybe the landlord replaced it?"

"Yeah, but the newer handles are usually plastic or stainless steel. This one's brass. Look." She handed it to her partner.

"Hmm. Nice."

"A little too nice for a landlord to spend money on. What if that handle was somewhere else when Paul Wescourt touched it? Wouldn't take more than a wrench for someone to relocate it here." Jane suggested and Frost stated the now obvious conclusion.

"The print was planted."

"Call Frankie. Get him to talk to the super and verify he didn't replace this handle. If we're right, Paul Wescourt was set up."

* * *

"Jane, we're going to be late." Maura rushed past the detective who was hunched over a pile of pictures, notes, and reports on their current case.

The brunette was still in her work clothes and didn't seem to register that her wife had spoken to her.

"Jane?" Maura placed her hand on the tall woman's back and seemed to almost startle her.

Jane's eyebrows scrunched together in slight annoyance and then she took in the honey blonde's attire. "Wow." The doctor was wearing a tight forest green dress that plunged in a v, showing the right amount of cleavage, and her well-maintained body.

Maura smiled adoringly at her. "Sweetheart, we need to leave."

Confusion set in. "What? What for?" Jane stood and placed her hands on Maura's hips, wanting to nuzzle her neck, but was held back by strong hands on her shoulders.

"Jane! Lexi is getting an award of recognition for her pro-bono services with Boston Cares tonight!"

Dread washed over the Italian woman's face and she looked down at herself. "Oh damn it. Can I go in this?"

Maura stepped in close and straightened Jane's navy blue shirt collar. "I guess we match well enough." She ran her hands down the lapels of the charcoal coloured blazer and tilted her head for a kiss.

Jane grinned into the kiss and whispered against soft lips. "That's the important part, huh?"

"Mmhmm." One final kiss and the could departed to watch their youngest daughter receive her latest achievement as a family attorney.

* * *

After the ceremony, Jane practically dragged Maura over to a corner of the room to avoid any more men hitting on her wife. Her arms wrapped around the honey blonde and she pressed the front of their bodies closely as she kissed her jaw. "Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"No." Maura whispered and allowed her lips to be possessed firmly, her hands reached around strong shoulders and tangled in dark curls. "But your eyes have told me numerous times already." They kissed again before they were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

The couple smiled sheepishly when they met their daughter's amused dark eyes and Carol's delighted ones.

"Hey guys." Lexi smirked, holding Carol's hand, as she addressed her parents. Jane let go of Maura and their daughter kissed her Mom's cheek and stepped closer to her Mama.

"Hi baby, congratulations." Jane pulled the young woman into a hug and then held her at arms length. "Look at you! You look gorgeous. Doesn't she, Carol?"

The woman looked at Lexi with adoration. "Indeed."

Alexis looked over to Maura and grinned gratefully at her. "Mom picked it out for me."

"You look stunning, sweetheart. Hi Carol." The doctor smiled warmly at her and observed the awe in the light blue eyes when they were on her daughter. It warmed her heart and put her more at ease.

"Hi Maura." The blonde reached for the honey blonde's hand and they exchanged kisses on the cheek. Jane raised an eyebrow at Lex and they both shared a look at the familiarity of the women.

Jane's cell phone interrupted them all and she unclipped it from her belt with an apologetic look. "Rizzoli." She answered and walked a few feet away from the group to a quiet space in the room.

"Does she not use her full name for work?" Carol enquired curiously.

"Rizzoli-Isles is a bit of a mouthful." Maura joked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, and when they first started at BPD they had to keep their marriage a secret!" Alexis provided, teasingly.

Maura rolled her eyes at her daughter and watched as Jane walked back towards them.

The detective scanned her wife's body once more and looked at her with regret. "Baby, I gotta go." Long fingers splayed themselves across the soft material at Maura's lower back and slid down to the top of the firm backside.

The doctor tried not to show her disappointment. "The case?" Her hands grasped Jane's shoulders and they shared a kiss.

"Yeah. Good news about the handle. I'm going to see Paul." Jane let go of Maura and turned to apologise to her daughter. "Sorry, sweetie."

"It's ok, Ma. At least you got to stay for most of it." Lexi gave her a quick hug and was very surprised when her Ma smiled at Carol and shook her hand goodbye.

Maura left shortly after, intending to go home and change, and head back to the precinct.

* * *

Jane and Frost turned up to Paul Wescourt's house not long after receiving confirmation about the handle. Paul's wife answered the front door, looking frantic.

"Hi Jennifer, uh, it looks like we have new evidence in your husband's favour. Can you tell us where he is?"

The dark haired woman shook her head, fighting tears.

"You don't know?"

Jennifer was crying now. "I assumed that's why you were here. The police are out looking for him right now."

"What do you mean, the police?"

The woman looked at Frost incredulously. "How can you not know? This is all your fault!" She yelled accusingly.

Jane reached her hands out and placed them on the distraught woman's shoulders. "Slow down. Tell us what happened."

"I haven't seen him since you arrested him… He just keeps leaving voicemail messages. He's out of his mind."

"What's he saying in the messages?

"He's saying that- that I- that I don't deserve this, that he- that he failed me. I-I called the police after this one." She lifted her phone and retrieved a recording. " _Paul voice:_ _This is the last time you'll hear from me. You'll be better off if I put an end to this._ " She stopped the recording and started sobbing. "H-He's gonna kill himself."

"Not if we can find him first." Jane took Jennifer's phone and both her and Frost left her house.

The detectives split up to help with the search. Frost headed out with Frankie to check on a few leads in the neighbourhood and Jane went back to the precinct. She headed up to BRIC to speak with Nina and was pleasantly surprised to see her wife chatting with her sister-in-law.

"Hey ladies." Jane greeted the pair and kissed the doctor. "You changed." She gave a pout as she addressed Maura.

"Work attire is much more appropriate for work, darling." The ME winked at the brunette and listened in as Jane got back into problem solving mode.

"Nina, can you load the voice messages onto the computer and listen?" Jane turned back to Maura. "Maur, the suicides that come through your office ... Can you figure out how and where they occur?"

"Most of them."

"Ok, can you use that information to figure out a place where someone like Wescourt might try it?"

"Well, it's not a straightforward formula. Was he on any medication? Did he have a history of depression?"

Jane stopped her from starting to list an endless number of variables. "The woman he loves is dead. His marriage is over. His career is ruined. I think it's pretty safe to say the guy's depressed."

Nina cut in and lifted the headphones she had been wearing from her ears. "Ok, I amplified the ambient noises from the messages he left." She unplugged her headphones so that all three could hear. "So far, I've got what I think is a jet engine."

" _Paul's voice: I'm not gonna drag you through the humiliation of a trial. It's time I put an end to this."_

The sound of a jet engine humming came through the speakers.

"He's by an airport."

" _I-I wish I could be a better man. You deserve that."_

The sound of rapid popping was heard next.

"That sounds like gunfire to me. Gunfire and jet engines."

" _I just want you to know how sorry I am. This is all my fault. This is what I deserve."_

An indistinct clanging noise had Jane lean closer to the speaker. "What is that?" They heard it again.

"Could be car tires on steel grating, maybe a bridge?" Maura offered and Nina began typing away on her keyboard.

"There's a firing range on Moon Island. The narrows bridge leads straight to it." Nina turned her screen to show Jane the location. "And it's adjacent to the flight path at Logan."

Jane's eyes widened in realisation. "Remote bridge ... it's a perfect spot for a suicide." She left the room and snatched her keys from her desk.

Maura followed. "You're not going alone."

"Well, Frost and Frankie are out on the streets right now."

"Then it's you and me." The doctor stated with finality and Jane nodded, not wanting to lose any time in getting to Paul.

When the couple pulled up, Jane put her hand on Maura's thigh to keep her still. "That's his car. Stay here. I don't want him spooked."

"Jane…" Came the warning tone, laced with worry.

"No babe, I know this guy well enough to know he's not bluffing." Jane got out of the car and left the door open, making her way around the front.

Maura opened her door but stood behind it, waiting. "Be careful, Jane."

The detective got closer, hands out in front of her as though in a hostage situation. "Paul?" He looked up at her, eyes wild. "Paul? Listen to me, ok?"

He shook his head and peered down, gaining resolve. "You're wasting your time."

Jane breathed heavily as she got to the railing just to the side from where he stood precariously on the edge of a skinny platform, a metre just below. "No, just ... just listen. I know you were set up. And we can prove it."

"So?" He really didn't care anymore.

Jane got a bit closer but Paul shuffled sideways away from her. "Please w- wait. Wait. Wait. Ok, listen. I-I know that we said that there's no easy way to end things, but y- you can't do this, ok? You can't quit like this."

Paul became emotional again. "I ruined my marriage." He hung his head. "Danni's gone. My life's over." He let go with one hand and Jane let go of her right to wave it at him.

"No! No, it isn't. Ok, ju— just... hang on a second, ok? Let me come down there." Desperate to reach him in some way, Jane climbed over the rail and stood on the edge, holding on for dear life as she navigated her way to him. Heights weren't her favourite. She ignored Maura's gasp and the high heels that sounded as though they were coming closer. "Oh, Jane, don't."

She stayed a few feet away and tried to appease him when he looked as though he was going to leap off again. "I'll stay over here, alright? We'll- we'll— we'll just talk from here. Ok? I'm not ... I'm not moving any f- any further, alright?" She watched him reconsider. She knew she had his ear. "I know that you think that your life is over, and ... and ... and maybe I can't change your mind on that, but just ... please, for one second ... please, will you just think about Danielle?"

"Danni." He corrected.

"I know you didn't kill her, ok? I-I think you loved her more than anything. And I think that's why you- you were so conflicted about what to do. And that's why you can't let whoever did this to her get away with it, ok? Come on… Paul, you said it yourself ... her killer is still out there. Look, I— I can't bring Danni back. Ok? And ... and…" She looked down breathing heavily at the sight of the dark water and whitewash below. "I can't ... I can't give you any more nights flipping through catalogues and... and Indian food. But- but I can bring her killer to justice. I can do that. Ok? Please... please h-help me do that. Doesn't she deserve that?"

She had him. He nodded with wide, desperate eyes and began shuffling back towards her this time.

"Come on." She reached out for his hand when he lost his footing and slipped. Jane watched in horror as he tried to grasp the landing where his feet had just been and within seconds his body was plunged into the icy water below.

Without thinking, without considering her wife or her daughters, or granddaughter, Jane jumped in after him, taking a deep breath before her own suit-clad body disappeared into the

Maura couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. "NO! JANE! Jane!" Her body was leaning so far over the railing and she didn't realise she was screaming and crying until she had to take a breath. "JANE!" She continued yelling until she was hoarse. "Jane! No…"

To be continued...


	17. Chapter 17

Maura leaned heavily over the railing, not believing that her wife had just jumped into the dark water below.

There was no sign of her at all.

"Oh my god, Jane." Through her tears, she stumbled back to the car, and retrieved her phone. "F- Frankie?" The doctor sobbed heavily. "Jane— bridge… Sh- she jump-ed… mhmm. Yes… Please— o- ok." She managed to get out her location before ending the call and breaking down again.

10 minutes later Frankie and Frost arrived. Frankie got out of the police cruiser and approached the passenger side of Jane's car, where Maura was sitting, still crying. He knelt next to the open door and held his arms out to her. She slumped forward into them, her arms wound tightly around his shoulders.

"Shh, Maur. It's ok. We'll find her."

"It- It all just- happened so fast." She pulled away from him and wrapped her arms around herself, looking lost. It broke Frankie's heart.

He reached for her seatbelt and buckled her in. "Let's get you home and we'll call the girls." She nodded and fought her tears again as he closed the door and got into the driver's side; Jane's side.

He drove off and Maura's heart seized in panic. "I sh-should have stopped her."

"Shh Maura, there's no way you—"

"I can't g- go home, Frankie. I need- we need to find her!"

"We'll find her, ok?" He pulled his cell phone out and started a call. "Em? Sorry, uh, is Franky there?" He waited until his niece groggily answered the phone. He couldn't blame her, it was 2am. "Franky, no, your Ma is missing… I'm not sure yet… Um, can you come to your parents' place? Your— your Mom's a mess… K, kiddo. See you soon." He cast one more worried glance over to the doctor and was relieved to see she was asleep, exhaustion finally overtaking her.

* * *

"Honey, what's going on?" Emily asked full of worry when her wife began rushing around their bedroom, putting on warm clothes, boots, and a heavy jacket.

"Ma's missing." Franky answered, obviously distracted. All she could think about was her poor Mom having to go through more trauma because of her Mama's crazy actions.

"What?!" The redhead was wide-eyed in disbelief.

Franky stood up and looked at the shorter woman, realising that in their few years of marriage, she hadn't heard many of the stories or been around for any crazy escapades. "Uh, I don't know what's goin' on. Uncle Frankie called me and said Ma's missing and Mom's a mess. I gotta go, babe."

"Of course." Emily kissed the dark-haired woman goodbye and watched as she raced out the door.

* * *

Franky got to her parents' house and quietly let herself inside. Her uncle held up a finger to his lips and nodded at the couch. The dark-haired woman shed her jacket and leaned over the back of the lounge to see her Mom in a restless sleep. She moved back into the kitchen area to talk to her namesake.

"Uncle Frankie, what the hell's goin' on?" Franky asked in a forceful whisper. She pushed her glasses up her nose and folded her arms.

"She uh jumped into th- the harbour after a suicidal guy." His voice broke as he explained to his niece what her mother had done.

"Damn it!" She tried to control her anger but her volume caused Maura to stir.

They waited until the ME resettled.

"Yeah. Guy was framed and super depressed I guess. Maur said that your Ma talked him out of it but then he slipped. You, uh, y-you know your Ma, she never quits."

Maura's raspy voice interrupted them as she sat up and asked for her daughter. "F-Franky?"

Franky rushed over to her Mom and wrapped her up in a tight hug. "Mom, are you alright?"

"She's gone." Maura slumped into her eldest daughter's arms and started crying again. "She- she l-left me."

"No, Mommy, no… She wouldn't do that." Franky whispered fiercely into the honey blonde hair and rubbed her mother's heaving back.

"She w- was determined t-to talk him off the b-bridge. He fell. She— oh god, she jumped in—" Sobs wracked Maura's body once again and Franky pulled her closer, to lean back against her chest.

"Shh, Mom. It's ok. She's gonna be ok."

Maura calmed after a few minutes and Frankie approached to speak to his niece again. "I'm gonna go and check in on the Coast Guard search."

"I'm coming." Maura got up hastily, her breathing still ragged after the crying fit.

"No!" They both answered, wide-eyed and worried about the doctor's emotional state.

"Yes." Maura answered back with an air of finality. She blew her nose on a tissue and walked over to the entryway cupboard to check her appearance in the mirror behind the door. She smoothed out her black pants and purple top, and wiped under her eyes. "Ok, I j-just need shoes and—"

"Mom, you need to rest."

"No, I need my w- wife." Maura stated firmly as her resolve strengthened. She was determined not to break down again until Jane was found.

"Mom, the—" Franky's rebuttal was cut off by her phone ringing. She cringed when she looked at the caller ID. "Hey Lex… yeah. No, she's home right now… Yep… I know— that's not going to help right now… Yeah, ok. Bye." She ended the call and sighed heavily. "Lex is at Carol's, just a few blocks away. She said to take you there, Mom."

"No, I'm going with Frankie."

"Mom! What are you going to be able to do?!"

"Nothing, Francesca! But I can't just sit around, feeling sorry for myself when my love is—" Maura choked up again and breathed deeply, calming herself. She reached for her jacket and put it on. "I'm not arguing with you." She put her shoes on next and turned to her brother-in-law. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, c'mon." He placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her out the door. He looked at his worried niece. "Go home, kiddo. I'll call as soon as we get anything."

Franky nodded reluctantly and closed her parents' front door behind her, walking behind them to the police cruiser. "Just keep an eye on her, k?" She looked to her mother and frowned at the disoriented state she seemed to be in. She leaned over and helped her put her seatbelt on. "Mom?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you." She kissed the ME's cheek.

Maura smiled at her with such adoration. "Love you too, darling."

Franky closed the car door and watched as it pulled out onto the street before getting into her own vehicle and driving home.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to rise and light shone over the most southern part of the harbour, where they were expecting the current to have carried Jane and Paul. Frankie and Maura had just pulled up after being at headquarters for the past 2 hours.

Maura got out of the vehicle and met Vince's embrace. "Hey." He whispered into her hair as he held her. Frost placed his hand on her back and rubbed it soothingly.

"I- I should've stopped her." The doctor's voice could barely be heard over the sound of the helicopter blades whirring.

The retired detective shook his head fiercely. "There's nothing you could do, Maura." She just buried her head in his chest as they both stared out at the ocean.

Frankie approached and looked into the confident blue eyes. "Still no sign?"

"Not yet but another Coast Guard boat just joined the search and they've been watching the current."

"What about harbour patrol?"

Frost pointed to a section of water where harbour patrol were sitting. "They've got divers in the water."

Maura pulled away from the hug and straightened up her purple top and smoothed the non-existent creases in her black slacks. "They won't survive long in the cold water."

No one knew how to respond to that except to give her a compassionate look and continue problem-solving. It was what they did best.

"I gotta get on one of the boats." Frankie said as he fidgeted, anxiety getting worse the longer his sister was missing.

"There's nothing you can do on the water, Frankie… Where's Nina? She would be helpful in coordinating the search from here."

"She was with the Coast Guard director. I'll call her." Frankie walked away to call his wife.

"Maura, did you see which way they swam?" Vince tried to see if they could get any more helpful information that would help them find Jane and Paul.

"N-no. They were just s-swept away so fast. They d- dis— appeared—" Her lip tumbled and he reached for her again but she pulled back. "I- I'm ok. I just want her found."

Frankie returned and pulled Vince aside. "You know the currents around here. What are their chances?"

"People have gone in the water around here and been swept right out to sea. But they weren't Jane Rizzoli." The older man looked at Frankie with hope in his eyes and they walked back over to Frost and Maura.

"I can't believe I let her jump."

"Maura, you didn't let her." The African American man tried to reassure her but she didn't seem to hear him. She just stared out at the water with so much fear on her face.

Nina arrived and showed the others what was happening with the search. "The current in the past 6 hours has moved in this direction, so this is the main search parameter."

Vince pointed to a group of islands on the map within that area. "Their best chance is if they were able to swim to one of these outlying islands here." His cell phone startled them all and he answered quickly. "Korsak. Oh, ok, thanks." He ended the call and frowned. "That was the press. They know we're searching for Jane and Paul."

Frost scoffed. "Prosecutor jumps off a bridge after killing his girlfriend? That's a front page story."

They all were silent for a minute until Frankie broke it with a hopeful thought. "Jane's a hell of a swimmer." He stated confidently and folded his arms, watching as Maura turned around to look at him, eyes somewhat hopeful. She knew her wife was an excellent swimmer.

Frost put a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it gently. "She could make it out to one of those islands that Korsak circled."

Maura took a deep breath and looked up at him with fearful eyes. "But what if she didn't?"

The ME's sobering question caused everyone to be silent for a few moments.

They were all surprised when Maura retrieved her cell phone and seemed to be making a phone call. They assumed it was to one of her daughters. She walked away to talk for several minutes and then returned, looking a little more hopeful.

"Ok. Thank you so much." The blonde ended the call and spoke to the small group. "I called my friend at the North Bay marine research station… He said some fishermen caught several red drum last week, which is indicative of warmer currents moving up the coast."

Vince smiled at the news and the others looked to him and Maura curiously, not quite piecing together the relevance of the information.

The doctor continued. "So, the surface temperature might be warmer than what the coast guard thought." She breathed a little easier but was still worried sick.

"What does that mean?" Frankie asked.

Vince answered. "It means Jane could survive longer in the water… She just has to keep swimming to one of those islands." He pointed to the screen again.

"If there's one thing I know about my sister, she won't give up. Janie will keep swimming." The dark eyed man put an arm around his sister-in-law and watched Vince answer his phone from another call.

"Korsak… Yeah?" His eyebrows shot up. He covered the bottom of the phone and he looked at Maura. "A fisherman thinks he's spotted something. They're checking it out."

Maura's phone rang a second after he spoke to her. "Dr Isles… Oh my g— H-how long ago?" She looked to Frost and Frankie and pointed towards the dock. They followed her when started moving quickly towards it. "Ok, I'm on my way."

The sirens wailed from the boat as it arrived and Maura rushed over as Jane's wet, dark, curly head appeared.

"Excuse me!" The honey blonde to the tall woman who was wrapped up in a wool blanket. Her eyes filled with tears as the dark ones of her wife met hers with so much guilt in them.

Maura froze and Frankie moved past her to embrace his sister. "Oh, Janie! Oh, god. Come here. God." He chuckled as he held her tightly.

"It's a good thing Ma made us take all those swimming lessons when we were kids, huh?" Jane joked with a croaky voice and released her brother, still waiting for her wife to embrace her. She stepped around Frankie and approached Maura timidly. "You alright?" Jane's hand grasped the doctor's bicep and wide hazel eyes looked up at her in disbelief.

Maura nodded at Jane's question. "Yeah. Yes." She couldn't get her body to respond. She didn't need to.

Jane's hand on her arm was enough to spark the detective to step into the smaller body and wrap her up in her arms tightly. "I've never been so happy to see you, baby." Was whispered emotionally into Maura's ear.

"Jane I— oh god." Maura's hands bunched up the wet shirt at Jane's stomach and held on for dear life. She buried her nose into the slender neck and stayed there.

Maura missed the pain-filled face that Jane pulled at the strain on her shoulder but she didn't miss the quiet groan that was induced when the detective shifted to alleviate the pain from the position. She pulled back to look at Jane. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin' babe. I- I'm ok."

"No, you're not." The doctor searched Jane's face and then ran her eyes over her body and noted the way she had positioned her arm. "Your shoulder?"

"Yeah but… later, ok?" Jane didn't wait for an answer, instead opting to pull the smaller woman in close again with her good arm and tilted her chin to press their lips together. Maura's warmth was too enticing and Jane didn't release her wife's mouth until she had kissed her several more times. Maura clung to the detective, not wanting to end their intimate embrace either, until Frost interrupted them.

"Jane, it's good to see you." He smiled brightly at Jane and pulled her into a hug. Frankie began talking with her and Frost about what happened and in that moment, Maura slipped away and fought the overwhelming anxiety bubbling up in her chest. Without looking back, she got into Frankie's car and backed away from the harbour.

When Jane turned around to look for Maura, she couldn't see her. "Vince? Where's Maur?"

They all looked around and finally Frankie noticed that his car was gone. "She uh, musta taken it."

"Give me your cell, Frankie." Jane called her wife with her brother's phone but didn't get an answer. She dialled her eldest daughter. "Hey bub… Yeah, I'm- I'm ok... Can um- can you call Mom? Uh— no… she um… yeah, I guess she's upset… Thanks, sweetheart. Bye." The detective ended the call and took a deep breath. "Frost, can you take me home?" Her bewildered face didn't allow Frost to even consider saying no.

"Sure, Jane."

* * *

Jane sat on her couch heavily, her shoulder aching and her heart even more so.

"Honey?" Angela called out as the front door swung open.

"Ma?" Franky's voice sounded right after her Nonna and they both entered, moving quickly to see Jane.

The detective nursed her arm and tried to smile at the sight of her eldest daughter and mother. "Hey honey." She rasped and winced when Franky wrapped her long arms around her. Angela sat on the other side and rubbed her back soothingly.

"Ma, god, it's good to see you." Franky teared up in relief. She pulled back to look at her mother's pain filled face. "Um, Mom's at- at my place."

Jane's head snapped up. "What? Why?" Her eyes pooled and Franky frowned at the unusual behaviour from both of her parents.

"I dunno, Ma. She— wasn't herself." Franky answered quietly, unsure of how to tell her Mama that her Mom was currently curled up in a ball on the bed in her spare room, not even willing to see her granddaughter.

Jane stood and stomped over to the table to retrieve her car keys.

"Wait, where are you going, Janie?" Angela followed her daughter and tried to stop her.

"I'm goin' to see my wife."

"Listen, maybe you need to give her some space?"

"What for?!" The brunette threw her hands out to her side, palms up, in question. The stretch to her right arm caused searing pain to shoot down to her fingertips. "Fuck!" She exclaimed as she retracted her injured arm and almost doubled over in anguish.

"Ma, what's wrong?"

Jane just shook her head and fought tears as she picked up her bag and left the house.

"Shit, sorry Nonna, I gotta go."

"Go! Go, sweetie." Angela kissed her granddaughter on the cheek and pushed her towards the door. "Make sure she doesn't say anything stupid to your mother."

* * *

Jane burst into Franky's house just seconds before her daughter pulled into her own driveway.

"Oh, Ma! God, I'm so glad you're ok!" Emily exclaimed, heart beating rapidly at the sudden appearance of her mother-in-law.

"Uh, hey Em, where's Maura?"

The redhead bit her bottom lip and nodded down the hallway in the direction of the spare bedroom.

Jane didn't hesitate to move quickly to the doorway. She entered the room slowly and her heart lurched at the sight of her wife curled up, facing away from the door. "Maur?"

The doctor didn't stir and Jane moved closer, around to the other side of the bed. Hazel eyes glanced up at her and back down again, seemingly devoid of emotion.

Jane frowned with worry as she sat in the curve created by Maura's hips and reached her hand out to push honey blonde locks out of her wife's face.

"I'm ok, Jane." Maura claimed neutrally, still staring at the wall. "You were just doing your job."

"Sweetheart, I'm sor—"

"Please don't apologise. I understand."

"I- I don't need your understanding, baby. I need— your forgiveness." Jane rasped as she lowered her body onto the mattress and shifted the ME so that they lay pressed together.

Maura's eyes finally met Jane's. She reached her hand up between them to run it over the chiseled features of the detective's face, down to her collarbone and across her right shoulder. "What happened to your shoulder?"

"I don't know but it- it really hurts." Jane winced as Maura's hand examined the area.

"Can you move it backwards?"

"No."

"I think you've finally torn your rotator cuff completely." The doctor sighed as she stated the fact and ran her fingers back over Jane's face. "I'm tired, darling."

Jane understood that her wife wasn't just referring to physical tiredness, but of this sort of scenario and everything it encompassed. "I know."

"I- I wasn't sure you w-were coming b-back this time." The smaller woman began to sob and Jane did her best to hold her closely until the crying subsided.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know it was a dumb thing to do."

Maura pulled back to look into sorrowful dark eyes. "Did you— th-think about any of us before y-you jumped?"

Jane frowned, ashamed of herself. She shook her head. "No, I didn't… I didn't think about you. I didn't think about our family… I didn't even think about myself… The only person that I thought about was Paul and that I was the only one that could help him. I couldn't let him drown, Maur."

"I guess that's the instinct that makes you such a good cop." The honey blonde began to pull away. Jane let her go, not feeling good enough to try and get her to stay.

"And maybe a bit hard to love?" Jane asked dejectedly as she sat up and watched Maura pace in agitation.

"No! God Jane, I was just so afraid I had finally lost you!" Maura exclaimed passionately, finally getting angry enough to raise her voice at her wife. It was something she had rarely done and never because of a work-related incident. "Weren't you scared?!"

"Not until I was falling. Then yeah, I was petrified… And my life flashed before my eyes and ... the weirdest thing was all I could think about was all the stuff I still want to do."

"Like what?" Maura asked quietly, sitting back on the bed and taking Jane's hand in hers.

"I don't know... Um, watch the Sox win another series or— go to beer-brewing class or uh, learn how to make ravioli." Jane smirked and leaned her forehead against the smaller woman's and reached an arm around to rub the side of the ME's leg.

Maura chuckled softly at Jane's humour. It always had a calming effect on her. "Really? You're plunging to your death and you had ravioli and beer on your mind?"

Jane shrugged and stole a kiss. "I'm a girl with simple tastes." She stole another.

"I think we need to work on your bucket list, my love." Maura stated without removing her lips from Jane's.

Jane lowered the doctor backwards onto the bed and settled between her legs, kissing her deeply. She pulled back slightly and whispered against Maura's mouth, "Once I was in the water, all I could think about was fighting to be able to do this again."

They kissed more desperately. Clothing was shed and they were a tangle of limbs, moving against each other frantically. Maura groaned loudly as she came and Jane grinned against her sweaty neck, somehow only just managing to remember where they were and that the door wasn't closed. She slipped her fingers out of her wife and held her tightly. "We should go home, baby."

Maura nodded in agreement, not feeling as embarrassed as she knew she should. "I want to see Scarlett first." She murmured a little sheepishly.

"You haven't seen her yet?" Jane asked in shock.

"No, I- I didn't want to."

"Aww, babe, I'm sorry." The brunette pulled her wife in close again and kissed her head.

"It's ok, Jane. I- I feel better already. I was just— so numb and I didn't want her seeing me like that."

"I understand, Maur." The detective reluctantly let go and the couple got out of the bed and dressed.

They emerged from the room hand-in-hand and Franky gave them a mischievous smile. "I'll forgive you just this once for having sex in my house."

Jane had the decency to blush but Maura wasn't fazed. She only had eyes for her granddaughter whom she had neglected to see earlier. "Bonjour ma petite fille." She held her arms out as the little girl squealed for her. Scarlett snuggled in close to her grandmother and allowed Maura to hold her tightly.

"Sorry bub. We uh— um…" Jane rubbed the back of her neck, not knowing what else to say.

Emily smiled gently at her mother-in-law and placed a hand on her arm. "It's ok, Ma. We're kinda used to you both." She winked at them both and received a wink back from Maura.

The detective rolled her eyes. "Ok, ok. I guess we deserve that." She moved closer to her wife and wrapped her arms around two of her favourite girls. She watched suspiciously as Franky wrapped her arm around Emily and whispered in the redhead's ear. Emily nodded and Franky looked back up at them.

"Uh, so, seeing that we have you both here, I guess it's a good time to tell you both that we, uh, well, we're—"

"Having another baby!" Emily interrupted and placed a hand on Franky's tummy, looking up at her with adoration.

"Holy sh—"

"Oh girls! That's wonderful!" Maura beamed and handed Scarlett to Jane so she could embrace her daughter and daughter-in-law.

"You're pregnant, Franky?" Jane asked with elated surprise, holding her granddaughter with her good arm.

Franky blushed. "Yeah."

"You look stunning already, sweetheart." Maura claimed, looking proudly at her eldest.

"Thanks, Mom. Uh, has anyone called Lex yet?"

"Oh no!" Maura's eyes went wide and she rushed to retrieve her phone from the kitchen bench to call their youngest daughter.

"Damn, I didn't even think to call her." Jane winced as Scarlett lunged forward and had to be held tightly to stop her from falling.

Franky noticed and reached for the baby. "Here, uh, let me take her for a bit, Ma. Do you need some meds?" She knew something was up when her mother let her take her daughter without a fuss and nodded to the meds.

"Yeah, yeah some Advil would be amazing right now." Jane rasped and sat heavily on the couch, her eyes following Maura as she spoke on the phone to Alexis.

Franky handed Emily the 6-month-old and got her mother some tablets and sat down next to her, handing her the medication and a glass of water. She placed a hand on the tall woman's back and rubbed gently. "You ok?"

Jane took the Advil and searched her daughter's eyes for any sign of judgement at her most recent terrible work choices. Finding none, she laid her head on Franky's shoulder and smiled when she felt an arm wrap around her. "No, I'm not really… Your mother is pissed at me and I totally deserve it."

Franky pulled away to look into the guilt-ridden dark eyes that she had inherited and raised her eyebrow in question. "Mom's pissed?" She looked over at the honey blonde who was pacing in the kitchen with a frown on her face, still on the phone. "Hmm, I guess that's her upset face but pissed? Didn't you just have sex?!"

Jane dropped her head back down and groaned softly. "I need to retire, bub."

"Aww Ma, you're not 50 until next month." Franky teased with a chuckle but sobered as her Mom appeared in front of them.

Maura stood in front of the two brunettes, her hand over the receiver of her cell phone, her eyes slightly watery but a calm expression on her face. "Jane, Lexi wants to see you. Should I tell her to come here?"

"Sure, babe. She's only a few blocks over."

"Ok." Maura went to move but Jane reached for her hips, pulled her gently into her lap, and took the phone away.

"Hey sweetie… Yeah, come to your sister's… Of course they can…Ok, see you soon, Lex." Jane ended the call and wrapped her arms around the smaller woman's middle and nuzzled her neck.

The ME melted into the embrace and kissed Jane's forehead. She took the opportunity to check her detective's shoulder.

Franky relaxed as she watched the couple, seeing that her Mom was responsive and reciprocating the affection.

"Ow, Maur!" Jane flinched when Maura squeezed a particularly tender area.

"Sorry, love." The doctor gave her wife a sympathetic look and stopped her examination for now.

Alexis arrived with Carol and Edith, an unexpected smile on her face. "Hey Ma." She greeted her mother emotionally and held her for a little longer than normal.

"Hey, sweetheart." Jane enjoyed the rare closeness despite the pain it was causing. She looked at her youngest child with suspicion as they separated.

"What?" Lexi asked defensively. "Did you think I was gonna rip your head off or something?" She smirked at her mother.

"Yes!" Frankie and Jane answered together.

Frankie pushed her glasses up her nose and gave her sister a frown. "What is wrong with you?"

Alexis simply shrugged and embraced Maura.

Jane patted Carol on the back and grinned mischievously at her. "I don't know how you've managed to calm Lex down, but you can be an official Rizzoli anytime if you keep on having this effect on her!"

Lexi ignored this joking and held her mother tightly. She was still fiercely protective of her but was lot less judgemental lately. "You ok, Mommy?"

Maura looked up at her daughter with affection. "Yes, sweetheart." She ran her thumb over Lexi's cheek and stepped back to be close to Jane again.

In typical Rizzoli fashion, Jane teased her daughter about being 23 and still calling her mother 'Mommy'. They all laughed and continued to chat into the morning. Eventually Jane fell asleep in Maura's arms, exhausted from having been up all night in the ocean. The doctor was asleep within minutes of her wife.

Frankie and Alexis took advantage of their state and took several blackmail shots on their phones despite their significant others' half-hearted protests to leave them alone.

* * *

TBC... One more chapter to go


	18. Chapter 18

Finally done. Hope you all enjoy this final chapter :)

* * *

Maura approached the couch that her slumbering wife was still sprawled out on and sat down on the edge next to her. She gently placed her hand on Jane's flat abdomen. "Jane?" Dark eyebrows furrowed together at the intrusion. "Darling?"

"Hmmph." Bloodshot eyes blinked open and closed again, unable to fight the pull of sleep.

The doctor leaned forward and kissed the brunette softly on the corner of her mouth. "Jane, Barry called."

"Don't care." The detective rasped without opening her eyes but reached her arms around Maura's waist. It was impeded by the pain in her shoulder and she retracted her injured arm quickly.

The honey blonde frowned and moved dark curls away from Jane's forehead. "You need to see a doctor, Jane." She got no response and decided to leave it for the moment. She had already made a phone call to a specialist and made an appointment. Maura softened her voice and gently ran her fingers over Jane's face. "Barry said Paul is at headquarters wanting to speak with you."

"Aww." The detective groaned and tried to open her eyes again. The pain on her face and the bloodshot eyes made Maura's heart leap in her chest.

"Oh, sweetheart." The blonde's hand came to rest on her wife's cheek and she frowned at having woken her up. "I'm sorry to wake you." She leaned down and kissed the soft lips below once again. "I'm going to head home and change and then Susie and I are going to look at Danni again, see if we've missed anything."

"I doubt it but ok." Jane kissed the doctor once more and sat up, rubbing at her face to wake up more fully. "Are you heading home right now?"

"Yes."

"K, I'll come with you." Jane sniffed near her armpit and scrunched up her face in distaste. "I need to shower."

"Ok… Once we've found whoever is responsible for framing Paul, we are going to work on our bucket lists." Maura patted Jane's cheek affectionately and stood up.

"That sounds like crazy fun!" The sarcastic retort from the detective was accompanied by an eye roll.

Maura ignored the comment and changed the topic. "I made an appointment for you to have your shoulder looked at tomorrow morning."

Jane frowned and whined about it. "Aww, babe. It'll be fine."

The doctor gave her a stern glare and Frankie sniggered at her mother, having just entered the lounge room and hearing the conversation. "You should go, Ma. It's been bugging you for a few months already."

"Yeah, yeah." Jane waved her off, knowing that she should do what was needed for it, and the couple said their goodbyes, heading home first, and then into BPD.

* * *

Paul Wescourt greeted Jane and Maura with a very grateful smile as they entered headquarters hand-in-hand. He held his hand out to the detective and she received it without letting go of the doctor's.

Paul shook his head in disbelief at her. "Still can't believe you jumped in after me."

The brunette gave an uneasy shrug as she let go of his hand. "I was just doin' my job."

He shook his head and looked apologetically at Maura. "We all know that's not true."

Jane shrugged again. "Well, trying to figure out who might want you in jail... that's my job now."

Maura let go of her wife's hand and leaned into her, causing a long arm to wrap around her shoulders automatically. "I'm going to go down to the morgue and see Susie." She tilted her face up and received a kiss. "I'll call you if we find anything." She ignored the anxiety of not having Jane within her sight for a while and took a deep breath to try and settle her nerves.

"Ok, babe." Jane nodded, seeing the worry in the hazel eyes. She kissed Maura once more before the ME left them to their conversation.

Paul and Jane watched Maura as she walked away.

The attorney turned to look at Jane and watched her as she watched the doctor until she was out of sight.

"Are you in the doghouse?" He asked curiously.

Jane's dark eyes focussed back on him and she smirked. "With her? Never. She's too good to me."

"Lucky."

The detective smiled. "Yep… So, who hated you enough to do something like this?"

Paul chuckled. "Long list. I burned a lot of bridges climbing the ladder in the D.A.'s office."

"This was personal though. What about a friend or maybe another girlfriend?" Jane crossed her arms and watched as Paul shook his head.

"There was never any other girlfriend."

"Ok. Well, somebody went after the woman you love, so somebody knew there was an affair."

Paul shook his head. "Impossible. We were so careful to keep it secret."

Jane scoffed and threw her hands out in question. "The entire time? You never slipped up once? You never thought maybe somebody you knew, saw you?"

Paul thought for a moment and frowned. "Only thing I can think of is one night, I felt like a car was following us. It pulled into the motel behind us and was still there when we came out. Danni thought I was being paranoid."

"Did you get a plate number?"

"Nope."

"Make, model?"

"It was a little red, maybe burgundy, economy car. It was dark. I— I know… It's not much to go on."

Jane folded her arms again and sighed. "No, it isn't."

* * *

After Paul left, Jane called Frost and they met upstairs in the bullpen.

"Do we have a for sure solid alibi for Paul's wife?" Jane asked her partner and got a nod in response.

"Yep. I reconfirmed her alibi. She was online playing her regular nightly chess game with a guy in London. I.P. address goes back to her laptop at home."

"Ok, what do we—" The detective's phone interrupted her question. She answered without looking at the caller ID. "Rizzoli… Oh, hey honey. Yeah. Ok, I'll come down." She ended the call and clipped her phone back not her belt. "Maur said she might have something. I'm gonna go see her."

Frost looked at Jane with compassion and asked, "How is she doing?"

It almost made her cry and triggered a bunch of guilt that she knew she was going to have to deal with really soon. "Uh yeah, ok… I guess." She sighed and gave him a half smile.

He patted her on the arm affectionately. "She loves you so damn much…" He took a moment, somewhat hesitant but proceeded to communicate his thought. "… I- I think you should maybe uh, take that captain position sooner rather than later, huh?" The African American man cringed internally and waited for a dramatic outburst of defensiveness.

He got the opposite.

Jane teared up and swiped at her eyes. "Yeah." She nodded at him and pulled him into an uncharacteristic hug. "Yeah, you're right partner." She let go and breathed deeply. "I can't keep doing this to her… to our girls… my grand baby…"

No more words were needed. He squeezed her arm lovingly and she left to go and see her wife.

* * *

Jane entered the ME's office and smiled warmly at Maura. She closed the door behind her and walked over to the desk to see what she was looking at on her laptop.

Maura looked up at Jane and got a kiss for the adoring look that she aimed at her detective. "Sweetheart, I was thinking, we should make our own bucket lists and share them with each other."

Jane raised her eyebrow. "Couldn't I just take you out for gluten-free pizza?"

"Well, I think you owe me this. I mean, I spent the entire night on the bridge sure I was never going to see you again." The blonde smirked at the leverage she had now.

Jane groaned. "Okaaaay, I'll make a bucket list."

Regardless of the whining tone, Maura pumped her fist in triumph. "Yes!"

The detective looked at her incredulously. "Is this why you called me down here?"

Maura smiled softly and shook her head. "No. I called you because you were right."

"Of course I was." The brunette raised a dark eyebrow. "About what?"

The doctor chuckled and went on to explain her findings. "I went back to Paul's fingerprint, and I did a microanalysis on everything that was left behind. I found soybean oil, vinegar, tomato puree, and sodium benzoate."

Jane waited for more information. She should have known better. "Which means?"

"Paul likes barbecue sauce." Maura gave a large grin as Jane rolled her eyes.

"Ok. Great news if we're planning to grill. It's not exactly the case-breaking clue I was hoping for."

"It's just the beginning." Maura picked up a file from her desk and handed it to her wife. "She got a haircut." She continued at Jane's confused look. "Well, that's what I thought. But I was looking at the case file from the first murder, and the victim in that case also had long hair in her DMV photo and short hair in her autopsy photo."

"She got a haircut, too?"

"Well, the coincidence made me look back at Danni's photo, and I realised that her hair was cut after she died."

"So, to the trained eye, it's obvious that both victims' hair was not cut by a professional ... that somebody just grabbed it and lopped it off. So, both victims had their hair cut after they were dead."

"And since nobody investigating the original case noticed it, either Danni's killer murdered both women and Paul convicted the wrong man or... Danni's killer learned that detail from the first killer."

"Hmm! Way to go, baby."

Maura beamed at the praise. "So, do you think the guy sitting in prison knows who murdered Danni?"

"Yeah. I do."

* * *

"Frost, it turns out that Mark Talbot had a pen pal." Jane swaggered into the bullpen and gave her partner a secretive smirk.

"Oh yeah? Do tell."

"Uh huh. Sarah Daniels. She apparently liked him and he let her eventually visit. She supposedly hated the prosecutor and wanted to avenge what he did so, Mark gave her a tutorial."

"Damn. We need CSRU to go over the letters."

* * *

An hour later, the pair were still working at piecing everything together.

Jane looked over at her partner. "Did the warden send you all of Mark's jailhouse correspondence?"

"Yeah. Crime lab just finished all the letters… I also reviewed all the prison security video, pulled some stills. She always wore a hat and glasses. She knew exactly where the cameras were and how to avoid them."

"Hmm. Sarah Daniels' last address was in South Boston on Dorchester. Well, we need to pick her up."

"Uniforms are already bringing her in."

* * *

"That was a waste of time." Jane declared as she slumped down in her chair and threw Frost the information from her interrogation.

Dark eyes scanned the report and looked up to meet Jane's disappointed ones. "So, someone stole Sarah Daniels' identity and went to visit Mark in jail?"

"Looks that way."

"Damn! So, perhaps there is a link between Sarah and the murderer? We need to get Sarah's schedule for the last few months." Frost declared and set to work on his computer to try and do just that.

Heels sounded in the hallway and Jane lifted her head in anticipation. The feeling never got old and she smiled when her wife came into view. "Hey Maur." The tall woman stood and reached for the folder that the blonde was carrying. "What do you got?" The detective winked and avoided a grammar lesson by giving her a kiss hello and opening the lab report.

"I lifted a partial print from one of the envelopes."

Jane raised two excited eyebrows. "You get an I.D.?"

"No, but it contained the same barbecue-sauce residue as Paul's print from the toilet handle."

Frost listened in with a confused look. "So, either they both love soul food... Or they shared a meal together."

"Mmhmm. That's what I was thinking." Maura nodded in agreement

Jane sighed and threw the folder down on her desk. "Well, maybe I overlooked someone from Paul's office? Like a staff member or a coworker. Um, any clues from the letters?"

The ME nodded. "They reveal someone intelligent, probably college-educated. She's clever, manipulative, and a woman who's clearly disturbed and frustrated."

Jane chuckled. "You just described how I feel about this case."

They were interrupted by Susie entering the room, looking slightly out of place, carrying a box.

"Dr Isles, this was just delivered for you."

Maura's eyes lit up and she held her hands out to receive the package. "Ooh, thank you, Susie."

Susie smiled at her boss' excitement and left the room again.

Jane cocked an eyebrow at Maura. "What's in the box?"

The doctor gave her quirky, secretive smile. "A gift... for you."

"Why did you get me a gift?" Jane asked with confusion, hoping that she hadn't forgotten some important date that required her to reciprocate.

"Because I realise that we need to live every day to its fullest, so I got you something from our bucket list." Maura tapped the box to emphasise that whatever was inside the box represented her realisation.

"Uh ok. Well, let's open it." Jane reaped impatiently for the box.

Maura slapped her hands away and moved the package from her reach.

"Ooookaaaay."

"Later." Was all the ME said as she went to leave.

Whiny and frustrated that she couldn't have her gift, Jane groaned. "Wait babe, why later?"

"You'll see." Maura winked and left the room, leaving Jane to a sniggering partner.

"What?"

"She got you a sex toy."

Jane looked scandalised. "What?! No she didn't"

Her defence only made Barry laugh louder. He was still chuckling to himself when Frankie entered the bullpen.

"Hey, I talked to Paul. He said the last time he ate barbecue was at a fundraiser at City Hall about a week before the murder. I talked to his secretary. She gave me the guest list." Frankie handed the list to Jane.

Jane shook her head. "The only person sticking out to me is Paul's wife. I'm not sure that makes her a prime suspect.

"Not by itself. I also asked the secretary if the building at 120 Broadstreet meant anything to her. She said she remembered that's where Carol went to the psychiatrist once a week."

"Sarah Daniels and the wife saw doctors in the same building?" Jane was excited about this.

"Yeah. I think that's where she stole Sarah's I.D." Frankie stated and handed Jane a picture. "Here's why. They could be sisters."

Frost stood up with excitement, looking at his computer screen with triumph. "Got her! I ran Carol's credit cards. She rented a car several months ago. Rental agreement says it's a small, red economy car, just like the one that Paul thought was following him."

"So she knew about the affair before we did?"

"Yeah, which gives her plenty of motive, gives her lots of time to plan this murder."

"It's a great theory, except Carol was home the night of the murder." Frankie reminded them.

"Yeah, there's that." Jane sighed and tried to think of how she was able to be at home playing a chess game and kill her husband's girlfriend.

Maura reentered the bullpen with Nina and Jane shared their newest information with them. "Paul's wife, Carol, is our prime suspect."

"Well, that explains the barbecue sauce." The ME stated matter-of-factly.

"We think she found out Paul was having an affair and set out to destroy him with his biggest courtroom success."

"The cork murder?" Nina asked and all of the detectives nodded at once.

"Yeah, but our biggest problem is that we don't have any forensic evidence to tie her to the crime scene and we can't crack her alibi."

"Yeah, she claims she was at home playing online chess."

Frankie approached his wife and pointed to her computer. "Nina, can you play the recording of Carol's chess game? What if she had someone play chess for her at home?"

Maura was intrigued by the game that was now displayed on the big screen. "How long did the match last?" She stood next to Jane and folded her arms across her chest.

Nina responded promptly as they all watched the game play out. "Just over an hour."

The ME's next comment surprised everyone, including her wife. "Pawn takes d-5."

Jane looked at her in shock. "Right on the money, babe." Maura just smiled as she looked at the screen and guessed a few more moves accurately. Jane turned to her with curiosity, a niggling hopeful feeling starting deep in her 'gut'. "Great… I knew you loved chess, but I didn't know you were Clairvoyant." She chuckled at Maura's cute smile sent her way. "How did you do that?"

"Well, the moves are Boris Spassky versus Bobby Fischer, 1970." The doctor shrugged as though everyone should know.

"Nina, can you fast-forward to her next move?" Jane asked.

"Pawn to e-4." Maura chuckled, enjoying herself. "I could do this all day… Pawn takes c-3."

Jane wrapped an arm around the smug blonde and pulled her in closely. "Okay, now you're just showing off."

Maura looked up at her adorably, dimples on display. "I am… But, you know, she's following Spassky's moves to a 'T.'"

"Wait a minute—" Jane started but Maura cut her off.

"Her opponent's moves play out randomly but Carol's moves happen exactly 30 seconds after her opponent moves."

The detectives in the room all looked at the doctor in surprise. Frankie spoke up first. "She just wanted to keep the game going and credible."

Frost watched the screen with a smirk as everything fell into place. "So she took Spassky's playbook and preprogrammed the computer to play the game automatically?"

Jane smiled back at him triumphantly. "Bye-bye, alibi."

"Later, later, perpetrator."

* * *

Hours later Jane and Barry had Paul's wife handcuffed after a messy confession that almost ended up in another murder. They hoped they never had to see Paul Wescourt again but couldn't help feeling slightly sorry for him.

Once the wife was under custody, they left the station and met Frankie, Nina, and Maura at the Dirty Robber for a drink to celebrate the end of a complicated and difficult case.

Jane didn't care how it looked, she reached for her wife and held her closely with one arm whilst drinking her beer. She looked across the bar at Korsak. "How does it go so wrong between two people who love each other so much?"

"You're asking a guy who was married three times." Korsak chuckled.

Frost laughed too but was curious to ask the older man about his experiences. "Paul said that he didn't want to hurt his wife. Did you ever have that conversation?"

"No, but I never cheated on any of my wives…" He thought for a moment and shrugged. "But I wasn't emotionally available, either."

Jane almost spat her beer and Maura quickly pulled her face away to avoided being sprayed. "Emotionally avail— When did you start watching 'Dr. Phil'?" She teased and received a slap to the stomach. She pulled the doctor close and gave her a playful kiss to stop the onslaught.

Vince rolled his eyes at the couple. "That would be never. But I understand that my deepest emotional fulfilment came from work."

"Hmm." Maura nodded and her hazel eyes lit up in understanding. She rubbed the flat belly underneath her hand and looked at her wife with adoration. "Jane has had to balance her passion for work and family."

"Well, we've worked on balancing it together." Jane smiled at the ME and kissed her again.

"You two are so disgusting." Nina joked and prodded Jane in the shoulder.

"Uh huh, I know." The brunette stood and pulled at Maura's hand. "We're going to go home and be even more disgusting." She winked at the others and laughed at her brother's groan.

"Oh, I can give you your gift!" Maura exclaimed.

"God, we don't wanna know!" The younger Rizzoli complained and rolled his eyes at everyone's laughter.

* * *

"Maura! Please, can we eat now?" Jane whined at her wife as she rubbed her hungry belly.

"I thought you wanted to open your gift?"

Jane's face lit up like a little kid's. "Yeah?! Where is it?"

"It's right in front of you, darling." The doctor stated, pointing to the kitchen bench. She walked up behind the taller woman, wrapping her arms around the slender waist, and peering over her shoulder.

Jane barely acknowledged the affection as she ripped at the box in excitement. Maura always bought her the best presents. But… not this time. "Oh!" She frowned when she was confused by the contraption inside and couldn't figure out what it was. "Uh, it's a… a shiny kitchen thingy."

"It's a pasta maker!" Maura let go and stepped around the detective to lift the shiny red machine out of its box.

"Really?" The brunette looked at her wife with curiosity.

"Yes, my love. You said you wanted to learn how to make homemade ravioli. I got us a few things so we could have it for dinner." She smiled adorably and Jane kissed her with gratitude.

"Aww, babe. Thank you."

Maura kicked off her high heels and began retrieving ingredients. "I'll roll out the dough and then you can put it through the machine."

They completed that task and just as they were about to boil the water and cook, a knock sounded on the front door. The couple looked at one another and Maura shrugged, not knowing who it could be. "Did one of the girls message you to come over?"

Jane shook her head in the negative and got up to answer the door. Maura gave a big grin when she heard Scarlett's excited squeals coming from the hallway.

"Hi Mom." Franky greeted with a tired smile. Jane followed behind with their granddaughter.

"Hello sweetheart." Maura stood to embrace the taller woman and then pulled back to look at her eldest child. "What's wrong?" She leaned over to give Scarlett a few kisses and then refocussed on Franky.

"I'm exhausted, hungry, and Em is away for work. Can we crash here?" The pregnant woman begged as she shuffled towards the living room to plonk down on the couch.

"Of course, bub." Jane answered and sat Scarlett in her highchair.

Maura promptly retrieved some fruit from the fridge and gave them to the young girl, cooing at her lovingly. "Tu deviens si grand mon petit amour." _(You're getting so big my little love.)_

"Mom, can you make me a tea?"

"Of course, honey."

Jane rolled her eyes and made faces at Scarlett, eliciting amused belly laughs from the girl.

A moment later, another knock sounded. Jane and Maura looked at one another, confused. The doctor answered the door this time. "Lex! Hi darling." The youngest Rizzoli-Isles received a tight hug from her mother and entered the house.

"Hi sweetie." Jane greeted her daughter and smiled at the happy look on the young woman's face. "What's that smile for?"

Alexis sat down next to her Ma and across from her sister in the living room, Maura sat on the arm of the chair next to Franky. "Um, well… look!" She held out her left hand excitedly and showed her family the large diamond ring on her finger.

Maura's face lit up in happiness. "Oh, sweetheart! Congratulations!" She leaned forward and grasped Lexi's hand to observe the ring closely.

Jane wrapped an arm around her daughter and kissed her on the side of the head. "Damn, you guys move pretty fast."

Lexi laughed. "We're not planning the wedding yet but it's a step in the direction that we both want."

"Good for you, Lex. Carol's great!" Franky stated and then winced in pain, adjusting herself.

"So, what did I interrupt?" Alexis asked and looked over at the kitchen bench. "Dinner?" She asked with excitement.

"Yeah, you all did!" Jane huffed jokingly and looked to Maura. "Baby, I'm so hungry!"

The ME rolled her eyes and got up to finish making their meal.

"We were also about to share our completed bucket lists." Maura stated as she began to boil some water.

"Bucket lists?" Franky asked, interested.

"Yeah, your mother's idea. I finished mine but I know you're gonna make fun of it, Maura." Jane handed Scarlett to Lexi and pulled a rumpled piece of paper out of her back pocket. She got up to hand it to the smaller woman.

"Oh, darling, no! I won't make fun of it. I may have some constructive criticism, but—"

"Where's yours?"

Maura opened a draw at the end of the bench and retrieved piece of paper. "Here's mine."

Dark eyebrows rose. "Wow. And you typed it."

"Mhmm."

The detective read over the doctor's list. "Well, these are rather interesting. The first thing on your list is to do something from my list.

Maura smiled up at her wife. "Yes, that's why we're making homemade ravioli. I think it will be fun to do stuff from each other's list."

Jane smiled, kissed the blonde tenderly, and then looked down at her wife's list. "Really? No! I'm not going to Paris Fashion Week."

Maura frowned. "I can't believe that you want to do Navy Seal training."

Jane's dark eyes lit up in excitement. "Oh, yeah. So there's this place in San Diego, and they put civilians through hell week—"

"Hell is something I'm trying to avoid, my love. Running of the bulls in Pamplona? No… An adventure in Spain? Yes, but being chased by angry bulls, no."

"Aww babe… The museum of antiquities in Leiden? I am not spending my vacation in some dust-filled old museu... Oh! Zip-lining in Costa Rica!"

Maura sighed at the differing in their interests. "I have an idea. This is something that neither one of us have done and could be appealing to both of us. An archeological dig in Egypt? I am fascinated with ancient culture and you love adventures."

Jane wrapped her arms around Maura's waist and smiled when yoga-toned arms wrapped around her shoulders. She pressed their bodies tightly together. "Can I get an Indiana Jones' hat?

"Uh huh." Maura pulled Jane close for a kiss.

"I'm in." Was whispered against soft lips.

Franky and Alexis watched on with affection until Scarlett squealed and broke the moment.

"Ok, your granddaughter is hungry! Hurry up!"

The couple let go of each other and Jane smacked her wife on the backside. "Yeah, baby! Hurry up!" She chuckled when she was swatted at and ran out of the kitchen to a giggling Scarlett, who was overly amused at her grandparent's fun antics.

* * *

It's not my best work but I couldn't handle having this hanging over my head anymore!  
Hopefully enjoyable enough for everyone following along. Thanks for reading :)


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